Mars Alba Akari is back, and the connection barely skipped a beat. The setter returned from her Alas Pilipinas tour of duty and immediately steered the Akari Chargers to a 25-22, 25-27, 22-25, 25-23, 15-12 five-set win over the Farm Fresh Foxies at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium in the PVL All-Filipino Pulse Series.
The result pushed Akari's semifinal bid forward and gave the Chargers their second straight victory against two defeats. For a team that had been missing its playmaker, the timing could hardly be better.
Mars Alba Akari reunion pays off quickly
Alba finished with 22 excellent sets, eight points and three blocks, a stat line that shows how much she does beyond simply feeding hitters. The 27-year-old Marikina native said the familiarity was already there after a year with the group.
"The connection is there after four games since I've been with them for a year now," Alba said. "We just needed to reconnect and refresh a bit on the team's movement because I hadn't been with them for a long time."
That refresh looked complete by the fifth set. Akari's attack ran through Alba's hands all match, and the Chargers kept finding ways to score when the Foxies' block started guessing.
Eli Soyud takes over the deciding set
Soyud scrapped her way to a match-high 30 points, including the hits that mattered most in the last two sets. Lacsina added 21 as the second option Alba kept feeding.
"Of course I'm thankful for the trust they gave me, so when they said just hit the ball and don't hesitate, I did it," Soyud said. "Nobody was doubting, and that's what motivated us."
Her fifth-set takeover was the difference. Farm Fresh had clawed its way back into the match but simply ran out of answers for Soyud when the points got expensive.
Farm Fresh's comeback stalls
The Foxies started flat and dropped the opener, then flipped the match in the second and third sets to lead 2-1. Trisha Tubu led Farm Fresh with 25 points.
But the Foxies slowed down from there, and their defense could not contain Soyud down the stretch. Farm Fresh dropped to 2-2, the same record Akari now holds after a rocky start to the conference.
For a Foxies side that had just found momentum, losing the fourth and fifth sets in winnable positions stings. For Akari, it's exactly the kind of grind-out result that builds belief in a semifinal chase.
What the win means for Akari's semifinal push
Two straight wins have steadied the Chargers after two early losses, and Alba's return gives the offense a rhythm it clearly lacked. Her net defense was a bonus — three blocks from a setter is not something opponents plan for.
The bigger question is whether Akari can keep this level once the schedule tightens. Alba's connection with Soyud and Lacsina looks real, but the Chargers still needed five sets against a Foxies team that is now .500.
Still, the mood around Akari should be loud right now. A setter who steps off national duty and immediately drops 22 excellent sets is a luxury, and the Chargers are cashing it in.
The original report on this match appeared on philstar.com.
