In do-or-die matches, records and rankings are cast aside. What truly counts is resolve, poise and resilience. Preparedness becomes the key to victory.
The Premier Volleyball League Reinforced Conference knockout quarterfinals begin today (Saturday) at the FilOil EcoOil Centre in San Juan City, where top seed Akari squares off against Farm Fresh, and No. 2 Cignal faces Capital1.
With the impressive track records of the top seeds, observers believe that the lower-seeded teams will need a herculean effort to topple those who have consistently performed well throughout the eliminations.
The Chargers enter the quarterfinals with confidence, momentum, cohesion and camaraderie on their side, having swept the two-phase qualifying stage. Their opponent, the Farm Fresh Foxies, clinched the final quarterfinal berth after Choco Mucho’s critical loss to PLDT last Thursday.
While Akari is the clear favorite, the Chargers are fully aware of the unpredictability that comes with navigating the unchartered waters of knockout matches.
Akari coach Taka Minowa will be looking to repeat their previous victory over the Foxies, where Oly Okaro, the league’s second-leading scorer with 183 spikes, led Akari with an 18-point performance.
Grethcel Soltones and Ivy Lacsina also shone in that match, combining for 29 points, underscoring Akari’s balanced offensive attack. Their strong showing in the mid-season conference of the league organized by Sports Vision is a stark contrast to their seventh-place finish in the All-Filipino, signaling their rise as a formidable force.
The 4 p.m. match between Akari and Farm Fresh will also test the Foxies’ mettle as they seek to defy expectations and upset the top seed although Farm Fresh coach Shota Sato faces the challenge of making significant adjustments to contain Okaro and the well-rounded Akari roster.
