PVL: Akari fends off Farm Fresh for franchise best start

Akari Charges’ Dindin Santiago Manabat. – PVL

MANILA, Philippines–Akari earned its best start since the team joined the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) after the Chargers survived a young Farm Fresh squad, 21-25, 26-24, 25-15, 25-21, on Thursday at Ynares Center in Antipolo City with Dindin Santiago-Manabat carrying the offensive duties once again.

The Charger’s third win in four games also gave them their first consecutive wins behind Manabat’s 22 points on 19 attacks and three aces, pushing the new-look Akari’s goal of reaching the semifinals for the first time.

“It’s always good to win, no matter how. But I am very proud of my team. Even when they lose, I am proud of them because I know they fight,” coach Jorge Souza de Brito told reporters. “But I don’t think that puts the spotlight on my team, they have to understand how much working hard [matters]. That’s the point here.”

“We keep on working no matter if we play five sets. I am really confident in these guys and I know it’s only the beginning.”

Former Ateneo standout Faith Nisperos and former La Salle middle blocker Fifi Sharma helped the Chargers with 15 and 14 points, respectively, with both having 14 kills. Nisperos also had six excellent receptions.

Erika Raagas added 13 points including four blocks to keep the Foxies winless in four games.

“We want to get that podium finish this season. Everyone is super motivated, super hungry to win and now that we have the people that we need, the things that we’re lacking in the past few seasons, we’re more than ready to fight for that podium finish,” Raagas said. “We didn’t come here to lose.”

Akari was coming off a four-set victory over Chery Tiggo, 25-20, 18-25, 25-22, 25-20, on Tuesday to bounce back from a previous loss.

Trisha Tubu paced Farm Fresh with 24 points on 18 kills while Kate Santiago added 15 on 13 attacks in the losing stand.

Akari’s first-ever back-to-back wins since the team’s conception is in line with De Brito’s long-term plans for the team.

“We have a plan, even from the first season: Take care of the guys we got in the first [conference], we have to develop some, bring another [set of] good guys and keep on developing them. The guys have a lot still to grow so for our team, it’s ok. We keep on growing but consistently we are not advanced yet,” he said.

“But it’s on the plan to get the target. Even if I tell you here, ‘We’re going to stay in the top four, we have to fight every single day for that. We are on the way,” De Brito went on.

“I think it’s good for confidence really. Cause the past few seasons when we stepped on the court, it was 50-50. The body is strong, but it feels like we are still lacking something that time,” Raagas said.

“Even if we really want to win, physically we couldn’t just yet, so this is really a good moral boost for the team cause [before] when our opponents think of Akari, ‘Oh it’s just Akari,’ [but] now, ‘Oh, its Akari,’ she went on.