By KRISTEL SATUMBAGA
Multi-titled Creamline battles unbeaten and championship-hungry Akari in the winner-take-all finals for the Premier Volleyball League Reinforced Conference crown on Monday, Sept. 2, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Match is at 6 p.m. with the Cool Smashers gunning for an unprecedented ninth title in league history and the Chargers seeking their first-ever crown since joining the league two years ago.
Cignal and PLDT, meanwhile, clash for the bronze medal at 4 p.m.
There’s no time to rest for both teams after coming off dramatic semifinal victories against their respective rivals last Saturday, Aug. 31.
Creamline crawled back from a two-set deficit to turn back a fiesty Cignal side, 20-25, 26-28, 25-18, 27-25, 15-13, while Akari squeaked past the mighty PLDT crew, 25-22, 18-25, 22-25, 26-24, 17-15.
The Chargers’ victory, however, was protested by the PLDT management, saying: “Our High Speed Hitters and the coaches have been fighting tooth and nail for every win and every point. This is us, the management, showing that we will fight for them, too,” the statement read.
Leading 14-13, the High Speed Hitters challenged a net fault on Akari’s Ezra Madrigal that could have given them the winning point.
The officials, however, ruled against the challenge, allowing the Chargers to extend the match and eventually clinch a come-from-behind win.
PVL Commissioner Sherwin Malonzo, however, addressed the issue moments after the match and said that based on the FIVB rule book Madrigal had not committed a net fault with both her feet already on the floor and that the contact with the net was a second motion away from ball play.
“At the same time, PLDT called for a mid-rally challenge. The consequence of doing a mid-rally challenge is that if it’s denied or unsuccessful, the point goes to the opponent,” he said.
“If it had been successful, the point would have been theirs, but based on the interpretation of our referees and the FIVB casebook, which we followed, since it was away from the play, it’s not considered a net fault,” he added.
Putting what happened in the semis behind, Akari is now focused on achieving an impressive tournament sweep against a Creamline side which had previously done it in the past.
Though they entered an unfamiliar territory — they have never placed higher than seventh in league history — the Chargers remain unfazed as coach Taka Minowa casts his eyes on Oly Okaro, Ivy Lacsina and Grethcel Soltones to bring them to Promised Land.
But that would be easier said than done as Creamline boasts of a rich championship history and a deep lineup anchored on Bernadeth Pons, Michele Gumabao, and import Erica Staunton.
