In case you’ve missed it, last August 5, the final day of PVL on Tour: Knockout Round happened at Philsports Arena in Pasig City, and with only 2 spots left for the playoffs, teams gave everything they had.
Ivy Lacsina Contributes to the Akari’s Sweep Against Petro Gazz
#4 seed Petro Gazz Angels faced off against the #5 seed Akari Chargers for the first game last Tuesday afternoon.
The Chargers struggled to settle in early, trailing the Angels by as many as five points in the opening frame. But behind the determined setting of rookie Bea Bonafe and the timely hits of Eli Soyud and Gretchel Soltones, Akari rallied to turn the tide. Ivy Lacsina later joined the surge, helping the Chargers claw their way to a 22-17 lead.
Petro Gazz, fueled by Myla Pablo and Aiza Maizo-Pontillas, forced a 24-all deadlock, capitalizing on a net violation and several misfires from the Chargers. The set extended well beyond the usual, with both squads exchanging clutch plays.
Pablo blocked Soltones to hand Petro Gazz a 28-27 lead, but Soyud responded with a vital side-out. After another tie at 29-all and a Pablo answer to a Madrigal kill, it was Lacsina who finally broke the deadlock as she delivered two consecutive kills to seal the extended set.
Akari then took charge early in the second set. Their offensive flow improved, led again by Soltones, who provided steady scoring and leadership, and Lacsina, who continued to fire from the middle.
Though the Angels showed flashes of resistance, the Chargers maintained control. They briefly wavered as Petro Gazz attempted another late push, but Soltones delivered under pressure once more to close out the set 2.
In the third set, the Chargers came to a lead and never looked back. Soltones and Soyud continued to produce, but it was rookie Chenie Tagaod who provided the knockout blow. Subbed in late, she rattled off three consecutive service aces in a crucial stretch that turned a slim 20-19 advantage into a comfortable lead.
Tagaod’s serving barrage was followed by another strong sequence, with Soltones eventually hammering home a down-the-line kill to complete the sweep in just 94 minutes.
FINAL SCORES = Set 1: 32-30, Set 2: 25-22, Set 3: 25-19
Lacsina’s all-around impact for the Akari Chargers as she finished with 16 points, three blocks, and six excellent receptions earned the Best Player of the Game honors.
Soyud provided steady offense with 15 points and six digs, while Soltones chipped in 13 markers and six digs. Ezra Madrigal and Ced Domingo scored nine and seven points, respectively. Bonafe recorded 14 excellent sets to Saet’s nine.
Meanwhile, the Petro Gazz Angels missed the services of Brooke Van Sickle, MJ Phillips. Jonah Sabete saw limited action due to injury. Pablo led all scorers with 15 points, while Nicole Tiamzon added 12, and Pontillas only managed five points.
The Akari Chargers are now set to face Erika Santos and the rest of the #2-seeded Cignal HD Spikers in the sudden-death quarterfinals on Thursday, August 7.
The Undisputed 5-Set Champs, ZUS Coffee, Clinches Last QF Ticket
Down 2 sets to none, the #4-seeded ZUS Coffee Thunderbelles showed composure and determination against the #5-seeded Choco Mucho Flying Titans.
Choco Mucho looked poised for a sweep, banking on the firepower of Isa Molde, who exploded for a match-high 27 points in her return from injury. Royse Tubino supported her with 17 markers, while rookies Ayehas Juegos and Cherry Nunag combined for 21.
Playmaker Deanna Wong kept their offense humming with 18 excellent sets as the Flying Titans built a 2-0 set advantage, dominating in rhythm and execution.
Molde, in particular, carried the load with precision hitting and aggressive play from both the front and back row. Choco Mucho’s defense also clicked early, frustrating the Thunderbelles’ scoring efforts and closing out the second set, to move one set away from the quarterfinals.
But just when it seemed like the match would be over quickly, Chinnie Arroyo ignited a “thunder” in the third set, blasting kill after kill to power the Thunderbelles to a 12-8 lead and shift the energy completely.
Veteran Jovelyn Gonzaga entered late in the set and added a clever push shot to bring ZUS Coffee to set point at 24-16. Rookie AC Miner then closed it out with a key block, keeping the Thunderbelles’ hopes alive with a third-set win.
In the fourth set, ZUS dominated once again behind Arroyo and Gonzaga’s leadership. Miner stepped up at the net, delivering key points, while Fiola Ceballos and Kate Santiago chipped in 10 markers each to maintain the offensive tempo.
Setter Cloanne Mondonedo was instrumental in sustaining the comeback, expertly spreading the offense with deceptive playmaking. She tallied 22 excellent sets, consistently disrupting Choco Mucho’s defensive schemes and keeping their blockers off balance.
The Thunderbelles comfortably secured Set 4 and forced yet another fifth and final frame.
The deciding set started with Gonzaga asserting herself once again. Her hit off a block touch opened the scoring for ZUS Coffee. She would go on to add four more crucial points in the frame, breaking the resolve of the Flying Titans.
Arroyo remained unstoppable, continuing her stellar night with key hits that kept Choco Mucho at bay. Miner added another crucial block as the Thunderbelles built separation. ZUS Coffee controlled the pace from start to finish and completed the remarkable turnaround win.
FINAL SCORES = Set 1: 25-22, Set 2: 25-20, Set 3: 25-16, Set 4: 25-17, Set 5: 15-10
Arroyo from the Thunderbelles finished with 21 points, Gonzaga added 16 points, and they also with seven excellent digs. Miner delivered 14 points, including four blocks, while Ceballos and Santiago contributed timely offense throughout.
This is the Thunderbelles’ fourth 5-Set win this preseason.
And with the undefeated PLDT High Speed Hitters about to face this squad in the playoffs, there’s no doubt that Kim Kianna Dy, Majoy Baron, and Mika Reyes will have a hard time going for that 6-0 record.
