WHEN news of Premier Volleyball League (PVL) sister teams Akari and Nxled’s mega-trade broke, it wasn’t just fans who were caught by surprise.
Even the players involved in the shakeup were equally taken aback.
READ: PVL allows swap of players, coaches between sister teams Akari, Nxled
In her first interview as one of four new Chargers alongside Dani Ravena, Kamille Cal, Camille Victoria and director of volleyball operations Taka Minowa, Ivy Lacsina was initially saddened by the shock development after already forging close ties with her ex-Chameleons cohorts in her limited one-conference stay.
“Siyempre na-sad, pero excited kasi siyempre kahit naman ayaw ko, wala rin akong choice kasi management ‘yung (nag-decide), so kung ano naman 'yung makakabuti sa management and sa teams,” she said.
“Naging attached na ako sa Nxled and talagang parang second home ko na 'yung Nxled. Pero naging happy din ako pagdating ko ng Akari kasi sobrang welcomed ko talaga nila ate Mich [Cobb], Ced [Domingo].”
Taking Lacsina & Co.’s places in Nxled are ex-Akari mainstays Trisha Genesis, Bang Pineda, Dindin Santiago-Manabat, and Roselle Baliton with former head coach Raffy Mosuela.
But after the trade was confirmed to SPIN.ph last May, Santiago-Manabat has since joined back-to-back PVL runners-up Choco Mucho, while Baliton jumped ship to Galeries Tower.
Familiar faces welcome Lacsina
With the impact of her right knee sprain - which left her with limited game time in her one and only stint with Nxled - still fresh, Lacsina hopes to stay in the best shape possible as she joins an Akari side.
“Nagka-trauma na 'yung tuhod ko, pero siyempre, kailangan pa rin mag-stay fit and healthy kaya mas focused talaga ako sa health ko," she said.
“Minimal lang naman 'yung mga in-adjust ko pagdating sa teammates kasi 'yung coach and 'yung iba naming coaches, nakasama ko na sa Nxled so hindi naman ako masyadong nahirapan.”
Now roughly a month into her tenure a Charger, Lacsina’s transition period was made much easier by the proactive guidance of team captain Cobb.
“Si ate Michelle kasi, super dali niyang lapitan. Ang dali niyang sabihan kaya parang ang dali rin naming mag-connect kaya never akong nahirapan kay ate Michelle," Lacsina shared.
“Never niya akong pinahirapan. Kung ako, hindi ako makapag-feedback sa kanya, siya 'yung magsasabi sa 'kin, 'Ivy try mo 'to’ para mag-work.'”
Even better, rekindling old ties with her fellow National University-Nazareth School champion standout Faith Nisperos is the cherry on top in Lacsina’s high-profile Akari arrival.
“Ilang years din bago ko ulit makasama si Faith. Nu’ng high school talaga kami naging close, kami ni Alyssa Solomon tsaka ni Faith, kaya ngayon siyempre excited ako," she said.
Lacsina and the rest of the Chargers look to make a strong impression in the 2024 PVL Reinforced Conference, with their first assignment slated on July 18 against Capital1, 4 p.m. at the Philsports Arena.
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