AKARI kept its semifinals bid alive by beating also-ran Capital1, 25-17, 25-14, 25-20, in the 2024 PVL All-Filipino Conference on Thursday at the PhilSports Arena.
At 4-5 (win-loss), Dindin Santiago-Manabat kept the Chargers in a closely-contested Final Four race with 25 points built on 20 attacks, three blocks and two aces.
READ: PLDT makes easy work of Strong Group in PVL sweep
The hapless Solar Spikers, meanwhile, were sent reeling with their eighth defeat in nine matches - six in succession - in their debut conference.
"It was a good opportunity din for everyone to execute all of the strategies that we’ve been practicing for the past couple of weeks kasi iba din talaga na na-aapply na namin sa game.
"As Coach Raffy (Mosuela) mentioned, we’re preparing talaga for Chery (Tiggo) kasi yun talaga yung one of the top teams right now. So 'yung mindset lang namin is to perform our best this game regardless para din mabigyan kami ng kumpyansa coming into the next couple of games," said Fifi Sharma, who had seven markers in the win.
Akari newcomer Grethcel Soltones helped the team's cause with nine markers, nine receptions and 14 digs on top of back-to-back eight-point outputs from Eli Soyud and Ezra Madrigal.
Capital1 team captain Jorelle Singh paced the league debutant's eighth loss as the lone Solar Spiker in double figures with 10 points.
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