MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
The last four teams left standing in the PVL Reinforced Conference will come in fresher than usual when the semifinals are finally played on Saturday at Mall of Asia Arena, where top-ranked Akari and crowd favorite Creamline will be trying to hold off teams that could forge a sister act for the title.
With its formidable trio of import Oly Okaro, Grethcel Soltones and Ivy Lacsina, Akari takes a nine-game winning streak against PLDT in the 2:30 p.m. encounter, with the Chargers, as they should, recognizing that having a perfect record doesn’t mean anything in a do-or-die match.
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These games were supposed to have been played last Thursday, only for a power outage at PhilSports Arena moving even the title match two days forward.
SCHEDULE: 2024 PVL Reinforced Conference semis and final
“We will stay humble and continue to work because we are still far from what we want to achieve,” Lacsina told the Inquirer in Filipino. “At the same time, though, we are undergoing a good process where we continue to learn the things we need for the next games.”
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Clicking on all cylinders with the playmaking of Kamille Cal and captain Michelle Cobb, Okaro, Soltones and Lacsina have been leading the charge as Akari continues to conquer unfamiliar terrain, being here for the first time in the franchise’s short history and with a chance to win it all.
‘Ball is round’
“These three players, sometimes Oly cannot get a point, Greta will get a point, and also when the two of them can’t get a point, Ivy can get a point. That’s the most important thing, we have three good players,” coach Taka Minowa said of his triumvirate.
“We are not going to be overconfident because we know that all teams will prepare against us,” Lacsina said. “The ball is round, so we can’t be confident that we can already win this conference because the next teams we will battle are filled with veterans and are really good.”
In the other semifinal bracket, the eight-time champion Cool Smashers continue their hunt for a first import-spiced title in six years, taking on a No. 2-ranked Cignal side looking for a breakthrough title at 4:30 p.m.
Even without his version of a fearsome trio that’s out because of various reasons, coach Sherwin Meneses has been able to bank on role players Bernadeth Pons and Michele Gumabao, as well as import Erica Staunton, to anchor the Cool Smashers.
Victories by PLDT and Cignal will arrange a title clash among sister teams like the Creamline-Choco Mucho tiff in the last All-Filipino.
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The HD Spikers, meanwhile, are being led by captain Ces Molina, setter Gel Cayuna, and import MJ Perez. Riri Meneses has proven to be a pivotal piece for Shaq delos Santos as Cignal outlasted a 50-point barrage from leading best import candidate Marina Tushova of Capital1 last Saturday to clinch a seat in the semifinals.