Akari Chargers’ Oly Okaro against Cignal in the PVL Reinforced Conference.–PVL PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines–No one has been able to slow down Akari so far as the Chargers swept their Pool B assignments in the PVL Reinforced Conference on Tuesday at PhilSports Arena in Pasig City.
Oly Okaro powered Akari to its best franchise start with 24 points on 22 attacks, a block and an ace to blemish Cignal’s own previously undefeated run with a 15-25, 25-17, 25-19, 25-22 victory.
“Actually we are always having a slow start. Every time, we lose the first set and then after that we will arise. We need to work hard and in the same situation we need to work in different ways because if we keep on doing that for sure it will be a high-intensity game,” Akari coach Taka Minowa said.
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Akari coach Taka Minowa, Oly Okaro, Ced Domingo, and Ivy Lacsina talk about the franchise-best 5-0 start. #PVL2024 @INQUIRERSports pic.twitter.com/8J4KV7OF8m
— Lance Agcaoili (@LanceAgcaoilINQ) August 6, 2024
“We can win 3-0 probably but we lost the first set so it adds extra playing minutes. So hopefully going to the semifinal or finals it will already be back-to-back games so we will only have one day of preparation so we need to work in a different way and work on our preparation,” he added.
Ivy Lacsina helped the Chargers to a perfect 5-0 record with 14 points, 12 coming from attacks, and Ced Domingo 10 points, four coming from the total 12 blocks of Akari.
Kamille Cal and Grethcel Soltones each had eight points. Cal’s performance also featured 14 excellent sets while Soltones also had 11 excellent digs and 19 excellent receptions.
It was the third come-from-behind win this conference for Akari which also emerged on top after five sets against Petro Gazz and Choco Mucho previously.
READ: Akari import Oly Okaro’s offensive exploits lighting up PVL
“A lot of our coaches are giving us feedback. I know for myself specifically because in the first set, I know there were things that I wasn’t doing well like with my attack and block. I think the coaches did a really good job today of just giving feedback so we can work on those things,” Okaro said after Akari’s first set hiccup.
Despite the loss, the HD Spikers will still move on to Pool D with Akari, as the top two teams, and will face the bottom three teams of Pool A.
MJ Perez’s 24 points, all from kills, were not enough to keep Cignal afloat. Riri Meneses ended up with nine points, three off blocks, while Ces Molina added eight points, seven from attacks.
Gel Cayuna tossed in 17 excellent sets as the HD Spikers absorbed their first loss in five games.
Once Akari got its groove, Cignal didn’t have enough to keep up. Already with a 2-1 set lead, the Chargers stormed to a 11-5 advantage and kept feeding the lead to a 18-9 advantage.
The HD Spikers, however, managed to create some sort of momentum to narrow their deficit to just two. But it was already too late at 24-22 as Okaro delivered the finishing blow with a kill down the line.
“Whatever I can contribute to the team to support Oly, us local players will help her as much as we can,” Lacsina said as the Chargers await their second-round schedule.