Akari Chargers’ Ivy Lacsina within the PVL Strengthened Convention semifinals. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.web
MANILA, Philippines — Ivy Lacsina is bringing expertise and the power she had constructed from her difficult early years within the execs as she and the Akari Chargers compete of their first PVL finals.
Lacsina delivered 19 factors as Akari staved off PLDT in an intense but controversial finish recreation, 25-22, 18-25, 22-25, 26-24, 17-15, to achieve the 2024 Strengthened Convention remaining on Saturday at Mall of Asia Enviornment.
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The 24-year-old wing spiker, who turned professional two years in the past after main Nationwide College to an ideal title run within the UAAP Season 84, is making her first championship recreation look towards the seasoned Creamline on Monday at Good Araneta Coliseum.
READ: Akari, albeit in a controversial approach, streaks to its first PVL finals
“We’re tremendous excited and really comfortable to have made it right here, particularly contemplating how robust all the opposite groups are. On the identical time, we at all times remind ourselves to get pleasure from each recreation. We actually assist one another out,” mentioned Lacsina, who was emotional after their finals-clinching win.
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It has been however fulfilling journey for Lacsina in her first title recreation. Let’s have a look again:
Months after ending a 65-year title drought of NU with Bella Belen, Alyssa Solomon, and her batchmates Cess Robles and Jennifer Nierva, Lacsina took the leap and signed with F2 Logistics.
The 6-foot-1 confirmed her versatility as a center blocker and spiker, serving to the Cargo Movers to a pair of semis appearances final 12 months with a bronze medal within the first All-Filipino — the franchise’s finest end within the PVL.
Nonetheless, F2 Logistics disbanded final December, which led to Lacsina’s contemporary begin at Nxled.
READ: PVL: Becoming a member of acquainted names makes it straightforward for Ivy Lacsina at Akari
Lacsina continued to scratch the floor below Japanese coach Taka Minowa, main the Chameleons regardless of not being 100-percent wholesome.
Simply after one convention, Lacsina needed to regulate anew as she and core Nxled gamers with Minowa had been shipped to sister group Akari.
Filling within the wants of sister groups appeared to work for the Chargers, who unleashed their finest begin within the league with an eight-game sweep of the elimination spherical.
Lacsina emerged as the highest native participant of the Chargers with Grethcel Soltones and import Oly Okaro additionally main the way in which.
Each recreation proved to be a tricky problem for Akari regardless of the unbeaten document, particularly within the semifinals the place it wanted to beat a 1-2 match drawback of their comeback victory overshadowed by a controversial unsuccessful web fault problem of PLDT.
READ: PVL: Deadly 1-2-3 punch has made Akari untouchable
“In all of the five-set matches we’ve performed, this one was the toughest however probably the most memorable as a result of we knew that PLDT is a really robust group with veteran gamers,” Lacsina mentioned. “On the identical time, we managed to tug by means of because of the assistance of our coaches and our teamwork.”
Regardless of the match being tainted by a controversial name that led too PLDT’s protest, Lacsina nonetheless cherished her duel along with her F2 teammates Majoy Baron and Kim Fajardo, whom she is going to at all times be glad about.
“It’s actually powerful enjoying towards my ‘ates’ from F2 as a result of they’re veterans and really sensible gamers. The units from Ate Kimmy had been actually laborious to chase,” mentioned Lacsina. “However I’m tremendous comfortable to be on the court docket with them once more, even when we’re sporting completely different jerseys.”
With only one recreation left for Akari’s first title, the previous NU star is targeted on the keys to their first 10 wins: teamwork and coach Taka’s system.
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“We’re simply centered on working laborious and sticking to the plan and the system. We’re not fascinated by the rest. If the Lord grants us the win this season, that may be a bonus. The essential factor is that we gave it our all this season,” Lacsina mentioned.
