AKARI didn’t endure heartbreak after heartbreak just to bow out early.
The Chargers dug deep in a marathon finish, surviving six match points in an extended decider to eliminate Choco Mucho and keep their title hopes alive in the 2026 PVL All-Filipino Conference play-in.
Now, it all comes down to one more hurdle.
READ: Eli Soyud shows composure after delivering winning ace for Akari
A showdown with Creamline on Tuesday stands between Akari and a third semifinals berth in the last four conferences, a familiar foe it had already beaten in four sets in the preliminaries.
For Akari mainstay Ivy Lacsina, who posted a career-high 30-piece in that play-in win, they've already invested too much this conference to let their title chances slip away.
“Ayaw ko naman pong mabalewala ‘to lahat,” Lacsina said.
“Sinabi ko talaga na this conference, kailangang mas mag-grow ako, hindi lang para sa’kin kundi para sa team namin.”
Eli Soyud, who hit the game-winning ace for Akari against the Flying Titans, echoed the same resolve.
“Pinag-uusapan namin ‘yung pagod, at sinabi namin na hindi kami pwedeng mapagod para sa wala.”
'Malayo pa'
Head coach Tina Salak held the group together when an 0-3 start buried them at the bottom and made them the last team to crack the win column.
That stretch, she said, only reinforced her belief in the squad.
“Marami pang [natitirang tiwala sa’kin] kasi marami pang ganitong mangyayari. Malayo pa,” Salak said.
“Hindi ako pwedeng sumuko para sa kanila kasi sila ‘yung lumalaban para sa’min. Although may mga instances talaga na hindi kami nagkakaintindihan in some ways, but still, pinipili namin na mag-stick together.”
And after surviving one do-or-die the hard way, Salak believes they can do it again.
“‘Yung ginawa kasi namin [against Choco Mucho], pwede naming i-replicate to any team na makakalaban namin. Hindi kami pwedeng mag-settle dahil next step na namin is ‘yung semifinals at ang goal is to go on top,” she said.
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