When the moment mattered most, Eli Soyud didn’t flinch.
With Akari’s conference on the line, she delivered a nerve-steeling ace that sealed a hard-fought 25-15, 23-25, 25-16, 15-25, 21-19 victory over Choco Mucho in the play-in decider of the 2026 Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference last Saturday.
The Flying Titans had stormed back from a dominant fourth-set showing, pushing the match to a tense fifth set filled with momentum swings and multiple match-point opportunities. Yet, in the game’s final stretch, it was Akari’s poise that prevailed.
A critical service miscue from Lorraine Pecaña handed Akari a 20-19 edge, setting the stage for Soyud’s moment. Calmly stepping to the service line, the 30-year-old opposite spiker unleashed the match-winning ace that sent the Chargers bench into jubilation. She finished the night as Akari’s second-leading scorer with 18 points, a testament to her clutch performance under pressure.
“'Yung mindset ko kanina, i-pasok lang. Kasi marami pang mangyayari kapag pinasok ko. So 'yun lang ginawa ko, 'di ko inisip, basta pinasok ko lang 'yung bola,” Soyud said.
Her composure was no accident. Soyud credited the team’s collective effort in staying calm amidst the rowdy challenge, keeping each other grounded when the stakes were highest.
“Yung paging kalmado, kasi kapag kalmado ‘yung lahat mas nakakapag-isip. ‘Yung composure namin nandoon, mas naririnig namin ‘yung teammates and coaches, so mas okay ‘yung kalmado. ‘Yun ‘yung ginawa namin kanina, talagang pinakalma namin lahat, kahit na napakaingay na ’yung challenge,” she added.
For Soyud, the victory was a reward for the sacrifices the team made throughout the conference.
“Sa amin naman, pinag-usapan kasi namin kanina ‘yung pagod, which is sabi namin na parang hindi puwedeng mapagod kami para sa wala. So talagang nilaban namin kanina kahit na sobrang intense na kailangan naming pakalmahin ang bawat isa para worth it ang naging pagod namin today,” she explained.
Next, Akari faces Creamline in the semifinals—a challenge that Soyud acknowledges will test their resolve against a championship-caliber squad.
“Ang magiging puhunan talaga namin is tiyaga at pasensya,” she said. “Siyempre, ‘yun nga, champion team, mahirap din silang kalaban lalo na sa ganitong mga crucial na laro kasi mas experienced sila kaysa sa amin.”
