Chargers soaring high with bronze feat

MANILA, Philippines —  With another podium finish, it is probably safe to say that Akari Chargers own one of the successful programs in the Premier Volleyball League.

And as they are getting stronger, the management of the Akari Chargers and their growing fans are convinced that greater things are ahead of them.

For one, their third-place finish in the All-Filipino Conference, which no doubt felt like gold after having to climb their way up from the seventh seed and eventually earning the bronze against a potent Choco Mucho team, was a testament to the fight, character and resolve that the team has got.

“We showed our fighting spirit. We showed that we deserve to be in the top four even if we came from rank seven. That was our target,” said head coach Taka Minowa in the aftermath of the team’s bronze medal-clinching 25-15, 26-24, 26-24 win over the Choco Mucho Flying Titans.

By winning the bronze, Akari has become the lowest seeded team to land in the podium in seven years or since Banko Perlas did it back in 2018.

Prior to their bronze-medal finish, the Oly Okaro-led Chargers, owned by the flourishing Akari Lighting & Technology Corp., finished runner-up in the Reinforced Conference, a feat that established themselves as one of the league’s certified powerhouses.

This time, though, the Chargers proved that their stellar performances were no fluke with girls like Eli Soyud, Ced Domingo and Ivy Lacsina all stepping up in their playoff run.

“Siyempre para sa amin, sobrang laking achievement sa team,” said Lacsina as she tried to hold back tears. “Sobrang sarap sa feeling kasi grabe yung mga pag-aaway namin. Lahat-lahat ng iyak, dugo binuhos namin dito. Ngayon sobrang masaya kami sa naging resulta.”

And Akari is raring to get back to work and resume their quest for a first PVL title.