Nobody expected the Akari Chargers to reach as far as this point in time in the PVL Reinforced Conference, except for themselves.
Two wins away.
That’s how close the Akari Chargers, perhaps the most surprising team in the 2024 PVL Reinforced Conference, are so far in their maiden championship on top of finishing an immaculate title run.
[ALSO READ: Patience pays off as the Akari Chargers power up to be a legitimate PVL title contender]
A major roster overhaul in the offseason--which includes Japanese head coach Taka Minowa as well as players Ivy Lacsina, Kamille Cal, Dani Ravena, and Cams Victoria--is paying dividends for a team who just entered the league two years ago.
Before their knockout semifinals against the PLDT High Speed Hitters on Saturday, August 31, let’s look back on Akari’s impressive road to become one of the four teams left standing.
[ALSO READ: Akari vs. PLDT: PVL Finals breakthrough looms in this fresh playoff pairing]
Early Charge
Akari was grouped in Pool B alongside a powerhouse cast of the Petro Gazz Angels, the Choco Mucho Flying Titans, the Cignal HD Spikers, and the youthful squads Capital1 Solar Spikers and the ZUS Coffee Thunderbelles.
The Chargers took care of business in their opening match against the Solar Spikers, winning in four sets with import Oly Okaro shining in her PVL debut.
[ALSO READ: PVL: Oluoma Okaro, revamped Akari turn back Capital1 for Reinforced Conference winning start]
Akari then followed that up with impressive back-to-back wins against the Angels and the Flying Titans, twice coming back from a 0-2 set deficit to improve to a 3-0 record.
In those dramatic come-from-behind wins, Okaro combined for 69 points. And it seems she is the perfect import the Chargers are looking for.
[ALSO READ: PVL: "Destroy mode" allows Akari’s Oly Okaro to fire 38 points in comeback win vs. Choco Mucho]
Akari kept rolling with a quick sweep of Asaka Tamaru and Thunderbelles before heading to a highly-anticipated clash with the HD Spikers, who also shared the same record with the Chargers at that time with 4-0.
After dropping the opening set, Akari regained their footing to complete a four-set stunner of Cignal and hiked their slate to 5-0 and claimed the top spot in Pool B with the crossover phase up next.
[ALSO READ: PVL: Oly Okaro, Akari Chargers zap Cignal HD Spikers to claim top dog status in Pool B]
How Sweep It Is
The Chargers, alongside the HD Spikers and the Solar Spikers, comprised Pool D with the three bottom teams in Pool A in the Farm Fresh Foxies, NXLED Chameleons, and Galeries Tower Highrisers.
Akari then survived the gritty Galeries Tower in five to keep its unblemished record intact. The Chargers racked up two more wins against sister-team Chameleons, along with the Foxies to end the preliminaries with a perfect 8-0 run.
[ALSO READ: PVL: Akari completes 8-game prelims sweep to take no. 1 seed in Reinforced Conference playoffs]
It was the Chargers’ first-ever group phase sweep and joined the Creamline Cool Smashers and the Cignal HD Spikers as the only teams to sweep a preliminary round in PVL history.
Moreover, Akari will enter the playoffs as the number one seed–another first in franchise history.
First Playoff Win
Akari showed no signs of postseason jitters, eliminating the no. eight Farm Fresh in four sets after bucking an opening set stumble.
[ALSO READ: PVL playoffs: Undefeated Akari bucks slow start to take down Farm Fresh, advances to first-ever semis in Reinforced Conference]
It was the Chargers’ maiden playoff victory and their ninth straight win overall, barging to their first-ever semifinal appearance with high-level confidence.
Players to Watch
There is no question that Okaro is the main offensive force for the surging Chargers.
After all, the American import finished second top scorer (203 points) in the preliminaries just behind Capital1’s Marina Tushova and is the league’s top spiker (40.22% success rate) by the end of the preliminaries
But what makes the squad even more dangerous are the consistent local support they’re getting from the likes of Ivy Lacsina, Grethcel Soltones, and Ced Domingo to name a few.
Ced Domingo is sixth in blocking with 16 deflections.
At least two Chargers, Michelle Cobb and Grethcel Soltones, figure in the top 10 when it comes to aces.
Dani Ravena is eighth in digging with an average of 2.70 per set, while Soltones is sixth in receptions with a 40.41% efficiency rate
Team captain Michelle Cobb remains a steady playmaker while the integration of Kamille Cal seems seamless for a team that from the looks of it finally hit full charge.
Against a PLDT team who’s also title-hungry, Akari is facing perhaps their biggest test yet in the import-laden conference.
A first-ever Finals appearance at stake, the Chargers are keen to continue their Cinderella run because why not?
The semifinal is slated at 2:30 p.m. and will air live on One Sports, One Sports+, and the Pilipinas Live app.