Akari reignited its quarterfinal hopes in emphatic fashion, dismantling sister team Nxled, 25-13, 25-17, 25-22, in the PVL Reinforced Conference at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Thursday night.

Displaying renewed focus and urgency after a tough four-set loss to the surging Cignal Super Spikers, the Chargers refused to leave anything to chance. From the opening serve, they executed with precision on both ends of the floor – pressuring Nxled with sharp serves, crisp ball movement and steady floor defense that led to the one-hour, 15-minute victory.

The straight-set romp not only restored Akari’s momentum but also boosted its position in the heated race for quarterfinal berths. With the win, the Chargers improved to 4-3, tying Cignal’s record but edging ahead for fifth place with 12 points to the Super Spikers’ 11.

At the heart of Akari’s crisp and balanced offense was playmaker Mars Alba, who ran the Chargers’ attack with clockwork precision. The steady setter dished out 21 excellent sets, making sure every hitter had a hand in the scoring, while also contributing three points of her own.

But even after another stellar outing, Alba was quick to deflect the praise, crediting the team’s collective effort for their near-seamless execution.

“Naglaro lang lahat ng maayos kaya maganda ang performance ng bawat isa,” said Alba, emphasizing the team’s chemistry and focus. “Yung sa pag-set naman, it’s all about reflex –automatic na ’yun.”

Her calm command at the helm and instinctive setting proved pivotal in Akari’s dominant performance, ensuring that every Charger stayed in rhythm from start to finish.

The Chargers outgunned the Chameleons in every key department – 48-26 in attacks, 3-0 in blocks, and 8-5 in aces – while also capitalizing on 21 points off Nxled’s unforced errors. Akari, for its part, gave up 16 free points, but by then, the outcome had long been decided.

Import Annie Mitchem powered Akari with 20 points, while Grethcel Soltones provided solid support with 12 markers. Ced Domingo, Eli Soyud and Camille Victoria chipped in eight, seven and five points, respectively, to complete the balanced effort.

On the other side, Nxled reinforcement Paola Martinez struggled to find her rhythm, finishing with just 10 points, matching Chiara Permentilla’s output. The rest of the Chameleons failed to contribute significantly, managing only two points each at best – a clear reflection of the team’s offensive struggles throughout the match.

It was a crucial bounce-back for the Chargers, who have shown flashes of brilliance throughout the season but struggled with consistency against the league’s upper-tier squads. This time, they stayed sharp from start to finish – proof that the lessons from their earlier losses are starting to pay off at the most critical stage of the tournament organized by Sports Vision.

The quarterfinal picture remains chaotic with seven teams still in contention for the last five slots and only three playdates left in the prelims of the conference backed by ICTSI, Milcu, Mikasa and Fabriano.

While Creamline (4-2) appears to have the inside track, the rest of the field, including Akari, Cignal, Capital1 (3-3), Petro Gazz (3-3), Chery Tiggo and Choco Mucho, both with 2-4 slates, are separated by the slimmest of margins.

Clinching the first three spots in the knockout quarterfinals are ZUS Coffee (6-1), PLDT (5-1) and Farm Fresh (5-1).

Akari’s remaining schedule, however, is no walk in the park. The Chargers will next face the Flying Titans, who are desperate to keep their fading quarterfinal hopes alive. A win there would all but secure Akari’s passage into the next round, depending on the results of other key matches.

Meanwhile, Cignal faces a daunting task against Creamline. Should the Super Spikers stumble, the Chargers would have a golden opportunity to solidify its top-five standing and perhaps even climb higher if results swing their way.

More than the numbers, what stood out for Akari was its composure and collective drive. The Chargers dictated the tempo, limited errors, and showed greater on-court chemistry – traits they will need to sustain as the quarterfinal race turns even more unpredictable.

Nxled tried to mount a late rally, pulling to within 18-20 after Jaja Maraguinot’s service ace sparked a brief surge. Drawing strength from the sheer willpower of Permentilla, the Chameleons fought with grit and energy, refusing to fold even as they faced a more fluid and composed Akari squad.

Permentilla spearheaded the comeback attempt, attacking fearlessly and urging her teammates to push harder – especially with Mitchem momentarily resting on the bench. Her efforts, however, proved in vain as Maraguinot’s next serve sailed long, handing back the momentum to the Chargers.

From there, Akari slammed the door shut, matching Nxled’s last four points to complete the rout.