Fighting for nothing but a win – and pride – Akari and Gerflor set the mood in a day packed with knockout matches as the Power Chargers notched a 25-20, 22-25, 27-25, 25-27, 15-12 victory over the Defenders at the close of the Premier Volleyball League Invitational Conference elims at the Philsports Arena in Pasig on Tuesday.
Akari blew a huge lead in the fourth set but pulled through in a back-and-forth decider, practically clinching the hard-earned victory on the Defenders’ string of stretch-run miscues, including a mis-set by Aly Bertolano and a Justine Dorog cross-court hit that went wide at the finish.
Gerflor contested it via a block challenge that, however, proved unsuccessful, enabling Akari to pound out the win, its first after dropping its first three games in the five-team Pool A, including a five-set defeat to Chery Tiggo last July 11.
Gerflor closed out its maiden campaign in the league organized by Sports Vision without a victory in four games but the Defenders, with their prized rookies and a mix of seasoned campaigners, are expected to gain from the experience and contend the next time around.
They actually fueled hopes for a breakthrough win when they rallied from 16-21 in the fourth to force extension before stealing the win after squandering their chance in the previous frame via the same fashion. They also fought back from two-point deficits in the decider, the last at 11-13 on a Bertolano service error, and threatened last at 12-13 on a Dorog through-the-block hit.
But Bertolano fumbled with her reverse set bid after a brief exchange and Dorog misfired in the ensuing Gerflor attack, enabling the Power Chargers to escape with the win.
“It’s never easy when you get three losses in the past, there’s a lot of feelings coming inside but we did the job that we had to do,” said Akari coach Jorge Souza de Brito. “In our thoughts it was not supposed to be in five sets but my request for them is that no matter if we play good or bad, we have to leave the court with the win.”
They did. Thanks to rookie Faith Nisperos’ game-long exploits, Dindin Manabat’s leadership and solid backup from Eli Soyud, Janine Marciano, Princess Madrigal and Trisha Genesis.
“We have a lot to improve and we are already preparing for the next (conference). Now is the time to step on the stats and physical training,” said Souza de Brito.
Former collegiate star Nisperos fired 17 attack points and made one block to claim her first win as a pro and clinch the game’s top honors, and like Souza de Brito, the former Ateneo stalwart there’s a lot of work to be done to reach their desired competitive level.
“As what coach had said, it was hard for us kasi we came from three losses. But the team was committed that whatever happens, we have to win and I’m really glad na nagtulungan kami.”
Manabat did back her up with solid 17 points, Soyud added nine markers, Marciano and Madrigal each scored eight points and Genesis wound up with seven hits.
“Of course, there’s more polishing to do but I’m really happy that we finally won,” added Nisperos.
Despite her endgame lapses, Bertolano finished with a top-scoring 14-point output for the Defenders, who also drew 13 hits from Ranya Musa while Janine Navarro and Rap Aguilar added nine markers each and Ivy Perez and Dorog finished with seven points apiece.
