Akari shocks Creamline, Nxled rebounds as PVL All-Filipino race tightens

A night that began with familiar contenders quickly turned into one of the most unpredictable evenings of the conference. At the FilOil Centre on Thursday, momentum swung wildly as four teams battled through two gripping matches that could shape the closing stretch of the preliminary round of the PVL All-Filipino Conference.

The spotlight first fell on a matchup between two squads clad in pink—but the story that unfolded was far from ordinary.

Akari entered the court with a balanced 3-3 record, facing a formidable opponent in the Creamline Cool Smashers, the league’s decorated powerhouse and a perennial title threat. Yet instead of playing the role of underdog, the Chargers authored one of the conference’s biggest surprises.

Akari snapped Creamline’s impressive run with a hard-earned four-set triumph, 25–21, 28–26, 17–25, 25–21. The victory was anchored by relentless defense and timely scoring that kept the Chargers steady whenever the Cool Smashers threatened to shift momentum.

Libero Justine Jazareno set the tone for Akari’s resilience, collecting 22 excellent digs at 59 percent efficiency to earn Player of the Game honors. Her floor coverage repeatedly denied Creamline’s attackers and allowed the Chargers to build their counterattacks.

Eli Soyud ignited Akari’s decisive fourth-set push, stringing together four consecutive hits that helped create an early 7–3 advantage. Earlier in the match, Faith Lacsina had already laid the offensive foundation with a 20-point performance, while Grethcel Soltones added 14 markers, delivering steady production during crucial stretches that helped maintain Akari’s composure.

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Creamline, meanwhile, showed flashes of its usual firepower but struggled to consistently break through the Chargers’ defense.

Jema Galanza led the Cool Smashers with 16 points, highlighted by a stretch of powerful attacks that briefly sparked hopes of a late comeback. Tots Carlos contributed 10 points and Pangs Panaga added nine, while Bernadette Pons was held to eight markers as Akari’s defensive pressure kept her in check.

Despite the loss, Creamline remained within the upper tier of the standings at 5-2, while Akari strengthened its position in the middle of the pack.

If the first match delivered a shock, the second game offered redemption, as Nxled entered the night searching for answers against ZUS Coffee, the Chameleons finally rediscovered their rhythm.

After dropping the opening set, Nxled regrouped and surged back to claim a 20-25, 25-15, 25-23, 25-19 victory, ending the skid and keeping their playoff hopes alive.

Brooke Van Sickle once again led the offense, firing 20 points to pace the Chameleons. Jonah Sabete-Escamillan matched the output with 19 markers of her own, including three blocks, while middle blocker MJ Phillips dominated the net with 12 points highlighted by three rejections.

Veteran Myla Pablo chipped in eight points as Nxled leaned on its slight statistical advantage to pull away late in the match.

The win lifted the Chameleons to a 4-4 record, leaving them within reach of a coveted Top 4 spot as the preliminary round nears its conclusion. Nxled will face league-leading PLDT in its final elimination match on Tuesday.

For ZUS Coffee, however, the search for a breakthrough continues. The defeat marked the team’s fifth straight loss, dropping them to 1-7 and to the bottom of the standings.

Thea Gagate paced ZUS Coffee with 16 points, while Cess Robles added 13 markers. Jovelyn Gonzaga finished with 11 points and Riza Nogales contributed eight, but their efforts were not enough to halt Nxled’s late surge.

As the preliminary round inches closer to its final stretch, Thursday’s results reshaped the race. One contender proved vulnerable, another rediscovered its footing and the battle for positioning suddenly feels more open than ever.

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