MANILA, Philippines – Ivy Lacsina is fitting right in with new team NXLED Chameleons as she is set to finish her first conference with the Akari-backed team with some respectable performances under her belt.
With one game remaining in the All-Filipino Conference, Lacsina said that she immediately felt right at home with her new team, helping her transition into a new role and environment easier than it would’ve been, following her former club F2 Logistics disbanding after the 2023 season.
“Siyempre mahirap siya dahil nga iba yung culture, then iba yung sistema na meron sa NXLED. Pero yun nga, lagi ko lang sasabihin na simula ng nagpunta ako sa NXLED, ‘di naman nila ako masyadong pinahirapan,” Lacsina said after pouring in 12 points in their three-set victory over the Capital1 Solar Spikers on Tuesday.
“Winelcome lang nila ako. Kaya parang yung time na kakadating ko lang, feeling ko ang tagal tagal ko na sa NXLED.”
Lacsina proved to be an important addition to the Chameleons, who are sporting a decent 4-6 slate with one game remaining in the eliminations.
But of course, it hasn’t been a one-woman show. NXLED head coach Taka Minowa credited the team’s showing in the tournament to Lacsina and her other teammates.
Despite this, he acknowledged that there is still much to be worked toward after only his second conference at the helm in NXLED.
“Not only Ivy, [but] like everyone, especially Filipino young volleyball players, they try to find a way to go to high level volleyball. But even their body, and how their thinking of volleyball is still young. We have to always remind them that you guys have a lot of potential and just trust yourself and how much you have potential,” said Minowa.
“That’s what I’m always telling to the players, and I’m also believing not just in Ivy and Camille Victoria, as a team also, we have a lot of good players that we can trust, and as a coach, we have to make them better players for the Philippines,” he added.
Before the Chameleons take a break, they face one more challenge in semis-bound Petro Gazz Angels to cap off their All-Filipino Conference. They hope to stage an upset when the two sides meet on Saturday, April 27, at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig City.