Galeries Tower Finds Its Winning Touch, Holds Nerve in Fifth Set to Stun Akari

0Shares

Galeries Tower snapped its four-match skid in the PVL All Filipino Conference, outlasting Akari 25-22, 26-24, 23-25, 15-25, 15-10, at Smart Araneta Coliseum on Tuesday, November 3. The Highrisers held their nerve in a tense decider to finally get on the board.

It was Galeries Tower’s first win of the conference and its first since March, when it beat the Capital1 Solar Spikers. After squandering a two-set lead, the Highrisers refused to buckle in the decider, unlike in their previous outings.

Eli Soyud Leads Akari With 24 Points Despite Five-Set Loss [photo credit: Peter Baltazar]

Galeries Tower Snaps Losing Streak

Erika Deloria spearheaded the breakthrough with 20 points, 11 excellent digs and 28 excellent receptions, an all-around effort worthy of MVP consideration. She put the team’s collective resolve ahead of her own numbers.

“We’ve been through a lot so this win means a lot to us,” she said. “Despite our 0-4 card, we refused to give up and we finally won.”

The decider was a test of nerves, featuring five deadlocks and three lead changes. Eli Soyud’s off-speed hit sent Akari ahead at the changeover, but a Roselle Baliton push and a Lycha Ebon attack sparked a 4-1 run for Galeries Tower.

Jean Asis capped the run with back-to-back hits, first off an Akari overpass and then a clever ball into an open spot. Alyssa Bertolano then scored on a check ball and delivered the final blow, sealing the two-hour, 22-minute match.

Key Stats Behind Galeries Tower’s Win

Asis chipped in 14 points, Bertolano added 12 and Ebon contributed eight as Galeries Tower matched Akari’s 67 attack points. The Chargers held the edge at the net, 11-5 in blocks, and both teams finished with four aces.

The Highrisers capitalized on 28 Akari errors, four more than their own 24. Bertolano also excelled in her former libero role, collecting 14 excellent digs to match Dolly Verzosa.

Soyud led Akari with 24 points after scoring 30 against Farm Fresh, while Ivy Lacsina added 13. Fifi Sharma and Faith Nisperos chipped in 12 and 10, respectively, as the Chargers’ two-game winning streak ended and they fell to 2-3.

It was the seventh five-setter of the opening series, the first of three tournaments leading to the Grand Championship in March 2027. For Galeries Tower, the long-awaited win could be the spark for a turnaround.