Akari shifted into high gear after escaping a tense, opening-set thriller, eventually dismantling a depleted Petro Gazz side, 32-30, 25-22, 25-19, to clinch a quarterfinal berth in the Premier Volleyball League On Tour Tuesday at the Philsports Arena in Pasig.

Fueled by their character-revealing Set 1 escape – where they squandered six set points before pulling through – the Chargers displayed improved composure and chemistry to seize control of the match, building on the momentum of their confidence-boosting victory.

The win not only pushed Akari into the quarterfinals – also a knockout phase – but also signaled the emergence of a team steadily finding its rhythm, identity and a sharpened system under head coach Tina Salak.

“Sobrang saya namin kasi pinaghirapan talaga namin ito,” said Ivy Lacsina, who spearheaded the Chargers with 16 points, including three blocks to claim the Best Player of the Game honors. “Nakikita na namin ‘yung sistema na gustong ipatupad ni coach T, and little by little, lumalabas na sa laro namin.”

She pointed to their grueling training stretch leading up to the match as a turning point.

“Grabe ‘yung pinagdaanan namin nitong last three weeks – literal na paiyakan sa training. Pero ang mindset namin: kailangan naming bigyan ng hustisya lahat ng pinaghirapan namin. Kaya sobrang worth it talaga itong panalo,” added Lacsina, who also finished with six excellent receptions.

Missing core players Brooke Van Sickle and MJ Phillips, along with Jonah Sabete who played limited minutes due to a recent injury, Petro Gazz struggled to match Akari’s energy and execution. But even if at full strength, the Angels would have had their hands full against a Chargers squad that looks to be hitting its stride at the right time.

The Chargers dominated the Angels in attacks, 53-35, and held the advantage in blocks, 9-6. Though still prone to lapses – giving away 27 free points to Petro Gazz’s 14 – they made the plays that mattered most, including back-to-back clutch kills from Lacsina to steal the opener.

Veteran Gretchel Soltones also stepped up in the crunch, steadying the team with key hits in the second set before rookie Chen Tagaod took over late in the third, firing three straight service aces in a momentum-shifting sequence.

Soltones eventually sealed the victory with a down-the-line hit, wrapping up the match in just one hour and 34 minutes.

Eli Soyud highlighted Akari’s steady rise with a 15-point effort and six excellent digs, while Soltones added 13 points and six excellent digs while anchoring the team with her steady leadership in the clutch.

Ezra Madrigal and Ced Domingo asserted themselves at the net with nine and seven points, respectively, as Akari controlled the middle. Meanwhile, Chenie Tagaod made the most of her late third-set appearance, scoring five points – four of them coming in a decisive stretch that turned a shaky 20-19 lead into a commanding finish.

Rookie playmaker Bea Bonafe also continued to impress, dishing out 14 excellent sets to outshine veteran Chie Saet, who managed just nine.

Myla Pablo nearly carried the load for the Angels, who settled for fourth in Pool A, finishing with a team-high 15 points. Nicole Tiamzon chipped in 12 markers, but Aiza Maizo-Pontillas was the next best contributor with just five, highlighting the team’s struggles to find consistent support.

More than the victory, it was the manner in which they won that underscored Akari’s growing case as a legitimate title threat in the pre-season tournament organized by Sports Vision. From clutch composure to depth contributions from rookies and veterans alike, the Chargers are steadily building a brand of volleyball founded on grit, unity and an evolving system that could carry them deep into the tournament.

The real test begins Thursday as Akari takes on the No. 2 seed Cignal in a high-stakes quarterfinal duel – one of several sudden-death battles on the road to the crown.

“I’m very happy for the outcome. Ginamit kasi naming yung break for them to recover and then to make adjustments,” said Salak. “Masarap lang sa pakiramdam ang manalo. Nag-expect kami pero hindi sweep.”

Akari struggled to find its rhythm early on and trailed in the opening stretch, but the Chargers steadily picked up steam midway through, with Soyud, Soltones and eventually Lacsina stepping up behind the gutsy playmaking of Bonafe.

Lacsina delivered back-to-back kills to finally secure the hotly-contested opening set, which saw Akari squander six set points after rallying from five down early. But with the Angels faltering in their first-ball reception and failing to generate consistent offense, the Chargers forced their way back, even storming to a 22-17 lead behind consecutive hits from Soyud.

However, the ghosts of their past struggles in closing out sets resurfaced as Pablo and Pontillas teamed up to bring the Angels back into the frame, forcing a tie at 24 following an Akari net violation.

The Chargers had multiple chances to close it out, but the Angels refused to give in, even taking a 28-27 lead off a Pablo block on Soltones. But Soyud responded with a clutch side-out hit to drag the Angels into a prolonged battle. After Pontillas knotted it again at 29 and Pablo countered Madrigal’s blast off a Bonafe feed, Lacsina took over with two decisive kills to finally seal the set.

“Maging confident ka lang, kaya ng mga teammates mo ‘yan,” said Salak, a decorated former setter herself, as she encouraged Bonafe during the tense stretch when the rookie appeared to waver under pressure.

“Thankful din ako dahil through Petro Gazz, nakita natin ang potential ni Bea,” she added.

From there, the Chargers rode the momentum and dominated the Angels in attacks, 23-15, while also controlling the net with four blocks – three more than the defending All-Filipino Conference champions.

The Chargers played inspired volleyball from their opening set escape, taking early control in Set 2 and sustaining their momentum until the finish. Although they wavered again down the stretch, they showed their endgame poise, with Soltones thwarting the Angels’ determined last stand. Twisting her body upon landing to avoid Joy Dacoron’s block touch, Soltones delivered a well-placed hit that sealed the point.

The Chargers maintained their dominance on offense with an 18-11 edge in attacks and tightened up on errors, conceding just seven free points while capitalizing on three miscues from their rivals.