Akari proved that its stunning five-set victory over powerhouse Creamline was no fluke, beating Chery Tiggo, 25-11, 22-25, 29-27, 17-25, 15-7, yesterday in the PVL Reinforced Conference at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Annie Mitchem, Eli Soyud and Ced Domingo fired 17, 17 and 16 points, respectively, with Fifi Sharma also providing a lift as the Chargers zoomed to the Group B lead with a 2-0 record.
It came on the heels of a 23-25, 25-23, 30-28, 23-25, 15-12 squeaker over the Cool Smashers, the reigning champions and the league’s yardstick, last Saturday.
The strong start was the significant improvement for the chargers of Akari coach Tina Salak.
‘I saw the character, growth and composure of the team improved. The team is starting to mature,’ she said.
Akari could have wilted under pressure against Creamline boasting 10 crowns and Chery Tiggo, reigning supreme in the Bacarra bubble several years back.
But it did not.
‘Every day, we have a mindset that we want to prove ourselves,’ said Domingo.
It was the Crossovers’ second straight defeat.
In what was expected to be a tightly contested decider, Domingo’s poise and precision under pressure turned the momentum decisively in the Chargers’ favor. She scored three crucial points during a fiery stretch that saw Akari surge to a commanding 9-4 cushion, a lead the Chargers never relinquished.
In the second game, ZUS Coffee routed Galeries Tower, 25-22, 25-16, 25-16, to remain atop Group B with a 3-1 mark. The Highrisers dropped to 0-2.