Oly Okaro makes sure Chargers remain perfect

AKARI completed another reverse sweep in the span of just one week, 23-25, 21-25, 25-23, 29-27, 16-14, in the 2024 PVL Reinforced Conference on Saturday at the Philsports Arena.

Oly Okaro pulled out all the stops in her second straight 30-point masterpiece with 31 markers.

Photo by: PVL Images

Resilience has been the Chargers’ calling card when facing 0-2 deficits thus far in the conference. That’s exactly why they remain in joint leadership in Pool B at 3-0, their best-ever start in their two-year PVL run.

“’Yung pinagdadaanan namin as a team kasi these past few months, hindi talaga ganun kaganda. Ang dami rin naming mga training na du’n kami humuhugot ng lakas para maayos ‘yung game,” said Grethcel Soltones, who led Akari’s locals in scoring with 19 points on 16 attacks and three aces.

“Dapat ‘pag game, game. Sinasabi ko sa mga teammates ko, you have to focus, but not too focused para hindi mawala kasi nakikita ko ‘yung mga teammates ko lalo na ‘pag crucial point, parang sobrang eager, which is hindi dapat kasi hindi lalabas, hindi mo maaayos gawin ‘yung dapat mong gawin.”

Backs against the wall, Soltones and Ivy Lacsina gave Okaro a much-needed lift on offense with an 8-1 run midway through the third frame to save themselves from the depths of defeat for at least another set.

Then came an extended tug-of-war in Set 4 as Akari’s conference-leading one-two punch in Lacsina and Okaro saved a match point from 26-27 down.

The fifth-set tiebreak saw the Angels reach match point first at 14-13 just before Okaro’s back-to-back hits and Soltones’ service ace gave Akari its first-ever franchise win over Petro Gazz.

Lacsina chipped in 18 for the Chargers in another steady outing.

Reigning PVL MVP Brooke Van Sickle was again at the forefront of another shock loss with 24 points and 16 digs alongside Cuban reinforcement Wilma Salas’ 22 points and eight receptions.