Ivy Lacsina from Akari Chargers. – PHOTO PVL
MANILA, Philippines — Picking up where she left off, Ivy Lacsina continued her sensational play to lead the Akari Chargers to a strong start in the 2024-25 PVL All-Filipino Conference.
After being a vital part of Akari’s breakthrough to the Enhanced Conference finals, Lacsina, 25, kicked off her fourth season as a professional with two strong performances that gave the Chargers a 2- 0. in the six-month competition organized by Sport Vision.
Article continues after this ad
Lacsina helped Akari overcome a valiant fight from Galeries Tower, dropping 16 points to open their campaign with a 28-30, 25-15, 25-16, 25-23 victory in last week’s opening match at Philsports Arena.
READ: PVL: Akari looks back at the new look of ZUS Coffee for a 2-0 start
The National University product unleashed 24 points, hitting 22 of his 43 attack attempts with a block and an ace, to beat new-look ZUS Coffee, 25-14, 25-21, 19-25, 25- 23, for a first advance last Thursday at the FilOil EcoOil Center.
Lacsina’s strong start was rewarded with the inaugural PVL Press Corps Player of the Week award for the Nov. 9-16 period of the largest and longest-running conference ever.
Article continues after this ad
“The last conference was a good experience for us. At the same time, we are working on how we can be better compared to the last conference so that even if we continue to win, we are still learning,” Lacsina said.
The 6-foot-1 winger is eager to continue the super import that Oly Okaro started as the American led them to a 10-game unbeaten run in the Strengthened Conference only to lose the championship game to the eventual Grand Slam champion, Creamline.
Although they don’t have a backup this time, Lacsina and the Chargers are looking to replicate their success.
“Since Oly left, every local player on our team is more willing to step up because we have no one to rely on but each other,” she said.
“Every practice, every game really, we really work. I’m really sorry that we extended the conference today.”
Lacsina beat out Choco Mucho’s Kat Tolentino, Creamline’s Jema Galanza, Petro Gazz’s Brooke Van Sickle, PLDT’s Savi Davison, Chery Tiggo’s Ara Galang, Cignal’s Ces Molina and even teammate Eli Soyud for weekly recognition and scribes in line covering the league, which is also broadcast live and on-demand via Philippines Live App and on www.pvl.ph.
READ: PVL: Akari tears up the Galeries tower for a winning start
Akari’s Japanese coach Taka Minowa groomed Lacsina to become a lethal striker to support his player’s dream of playing overseas and representing the country with the Alas Pilipinas.
With greater responsibility this season, pride of San Fernando, Pampanga is ready to answer the call and deliver more victories to Akari.
“I always think about how I started and the struggles I went through in Coach Taka’s system and in training. So it’s like I’m attacking him as motivation and as a challenge to that in every practice and every game I can help our team more,” Lacsina said.
“I don’t think much of him because he puts pressure on me. Apparently, I enjoy it because I don’t want to break the trust of the coaches.”
Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.
Your subscription was successful.
Lacsina and the Chargers will be tested next Saturday as they take on the Creamline Cool Smashers in search of “five peats” at the Candon City Arena in Ilocos Sur at 6:30 p.m., after the Petro Gazz-Farm Fresh PVL on Tour match.
