By KRISTEL SATUMBAGA
Games Thursday
(Smart Araneta Coliseum)
4 p.m. – Akari vs Petro Gazz
6:30 p.m. – ZUS Coffee vs PLDT
Four teams, led by giant slayers Akari and Petro Gazz, clash in what promises to be explosive matches for finals berths in the Premier Volleyball League Reinforced Conference at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Thursday, Nov. 27.
The eighth-seeded Chargers and the No. 5 Angels collide at 4 p.m. while fancied teams ZUS Coffee and PLDT tangle at 6:30 p.m.
Touted as the underdog, Akari produced the worthiest win of them all by upsetting top-seeded Farm Fresh, 28-26, 30-28, 25-21, in their quarterfinal tussle last Monday, Nov. 24.
The Chargers hope to carry that momentum given that the Angels are also coming off their own morale-boosting quarters performance, having ousted defending champion Creamline Cool Smashers, 25-23, 25-19, 16-25, 25-14.
Despite a rocky preliminary round, Akari had been quietly rebuilding and restoring its competitive identity. Coach Tina Salak knew that, seeing the resolve of her players especially during training.
But Petro Gazz presents an entirely different puzzle.
Backed by two Reinforced titles, the Angels boast of power and depth that halted the Cool Smashers’ imposing 19-tournament semis appearance.
In that game, import Lindsey Vander Weide went down early with an ankle injury, allowing Myla Pablo to take charge and ignite a spark with a 26-point explosion against a team with arguably the league’s toughest defensive core.
While Vander Weide expected to be in full strength, expect Petro Gazz’s frontline to be a tough nut to crack with Pablo, Brooke Van Sickle and MJ Phillips challenging Akari’s front court of Annie Mitchem, Eli Soyud, Fifi Sharma and Ced Domingo.
In the other pairing, ZUS Coffee is already riding on a best franchise performance and is hoping for more with Anna DeBeer anchored the crew along with Chinnie Arroyo, AC Miner and setter Cloanne Mondonedo after topping seventh seed Capital1, 25-14, 25-20, 25-18, in the quarters.
But PLDT, the On Tour and Invitational champions who is coming off a 25-21, 25-18, 23-25, 25-21 win over sister team Cignal, is also expected to go all-out, with a solid 1-2 punch in Savi Davison and Anastasiia Bavykina.
