Akari finally broke through against Creamline after years of frustration, and coach Tina Salak says their first-ever win over the many-time PVL champions is just the start of the Chargers' evolution into real contenders.
DASMARIÑAS—Akari finally broke through a wall that had long stood in the team's way.
For the first time in franchise history, the Chargers stunned the Creamline Cool Smashers in a five-set thriller, 23-25, 25-23, 30-28, 23-25, 15-12, in the 2025 PVL Reinforced Conference at the City of Dasmariñas Arena on Saturday, October 11.
In front of 4,328 roaring fans, the Chargers flipped the script and exacted a measure of revenge on the defending champions, who had denied them of a title in last year’s Reinforced Finals.
Leading the charge was American import Annie Mitchem, who erupted for 33 points in her PVL debut to end Akari’s nine-game losing skid against Creamline.
Team effort for first victory
Head coach Tina Salak couldn’t hide her joy after the long-awaited breakthrough, calling the result a product of collective effort and trust.
“I’m very happy sa result namin. Of course, matagal na ‘yung anticipation for a win against Creamline. It happened today, so thank you for these ladies beside me,” Salak said during the post-game press conference.
“Team effort, especially ‘yung coaches pagdating sa decision making namin. On point lahat nung nangyari.”
Tina Salak gives out instructions to Grethcel Soltones in Akari's five-set win against Creamline. | Photo: PVL
The veteran tactician also acknowledged Creamline’s pedigree as the league’s gold standard, making the win even more meaningful.
“Creamline is the best team, alam naman natin ‘yun. Champion team ‘yan. But nakita rin natin ‘yung team namin kung paano naging intact at buo. At the same time, malaki ‘yung potential ng team as this conference goes,” she added.
Title contenders?
Asked if Akari now considers itself a title contender after the statement win, Salak tempered expectations while emphasizing growth and patience.
“Dapat mag-lead and mag-leave din kami ng mark sa mga ibang teams, especially dun sa pool namin. Hindi din kasi madali for us,” she explained. “Mahirap din ‘yung transition, also ‘yung mga players natin like si Mars [Alba] coming from different teams.
“To make them gel together mahirap, but seeing them kanina, iba na ‘yung nagiging perspective ng bawat isa. We acted like a team right now.”
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Salak admitted that while Akari is still a work in progress, performances like this show how far they’ve come.
“Konti na lang, pero mahabang journey pa. Be patient lang sa amin. Onti-onti,” she said.
Up next for the Chargers will be the Chery Tiggo Crossovers on Tuesday, October 14, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
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Kiko Demigillo’s journey in sports storytelling began with a deep passion for games and athletes, which eventually grew into a full-fledged career.
Now a dedicated sportswriter, Kiko covers a wide range of beats for One Sports, including the PVL, UAAP, PBA, and various international tournaments.