The 2024–25 Akari Chargers season was the third season of the Akari Chargers in the Premier Volleyball League (PVL). This was Akari's first season without Philippines women's national team head coach Jorge Edson, who resigned on December 14, 2023, after coaching the team since it joined the PVL in 2022. Akari then named Raffy Mosuela as his successor on January 23, 2024. On the players' side, the Chargers brought in former Finals MVPs Grethcel Soltones and Celine Domingo from the Petro Gazz Angels and Creamline Cool Smashers, respectively. They were joined by new recruit Max Juangco from the FEU Lady Tamaraws.
In the 2024 All-Filipino Conference, the Chargers went to a slow start going 0–2 in their first two matches before claiming their first win against the Farm Fresh Foxies on the third match. The team went back-and-forth throughout the conference and ended up with a 5–6 record with 15 points. The team finished seventh in the final standings.
Going into the Reinforced Conference, the team went through a reshuffling. On May 20, Akari swapped some of its players with sister team Nxled Chameleons, resulting in Kamille Cal, Ivy Lacsina, Dani Ravena, and Camille Victoria joining the team and Trisha Genesis, Jaja Maraguinot, and Bang Pineda transferring for Nxled. The swap also included coach Mosuela, with Takayuki Minowa succeeding him in the head coaching role. It also recruited undrafted players Catherine Almazan and Ysabela Bakabak from EAC and De La Salle, respectively. They then brought in Oluoma Okaro to serve as the team's import for the conference. In the midst of all these moves, Roselle Baliton and Dindin Santiago-Manabat both departed the team.
The team's reshuffling paid off in the preliminary round, finishing with an 8–0 sweep with 21 points. In the quarterfinals, the Chargers beat Farm Fresh to advance to the semifinals for the first time in team history. They then faced the PLDT High Speed Hitters in the semifinals, who they beat 3–2 to clinch their first-ever championship berth, but not without controversy. In the championship, the team was challenged by Creamline, where the team suffered a sweep.
The Chargers qualified for the Invitational Conference as a result of the team reaching the semifinals, but decided to opt out due to injury concerns.
In the 2024–25 All-Filipino Conference, Akari finished 7th in the preliminary round with a 5–6 record and 15 points. In the qualifying round, they won against the Farm Fresh Foxies in a five-set match to advance to the final round. In the quarterfinals, the Chargers swept the Galeries Tower Highrisers despite both matches going the full length to advance to the round-robin semifinals. After a three-set loss to the Petro Gazz Angels in their final semifinal match, Akari was eliminated from championship contention, and were eventually matched against the Choco Mucho Flying Titans in the third-place series. The team beat Choco Mucho in three matches to finish the conference with a bronze medal and back-to-back podium finishes.
Roster Akari ChargersPlayerPositionHeightBirth dateAlma mater Dani Ravena LiberoADMU Fifi Sharma Middle Blocker DLSU Max Juangco Libero FEU Stephanie Bustrillo Opposite Hitter UP Grethcel SoltonesOutside hitterSSC-R Michelle Cobb (C) SetterDLSU Kamille CalSetterNU Ezra MadrigalMiddle blockerFEU Janine MarcianoOutside hitterSan Beda Camille VictoriaMiddle Blocker UST Erika RaagasOpposite hitter ADMU Ysabela Bakabak Middle Blocker DLSU Celine Domingo Middle BlockerFEU Cathrine Almazan Outside Hitter EAC Ylizyeth Justine Jazareno Libero DLSU Ivy LacsinaOutside HitterNU Faith Nisperos Outside hitterADMU Eli SoyudOpposite hitter AdU
Coaching staff Head coach:Takayuki Minowa Assistant coaches:Maria Vilet Ponce De LeonVince MangulabnanRodel CaninoJuvie MangaringSid GerellaHayashi Yuga
Team staff Team manager:Mozzy Ravena Utility:Jaecee Obena
Medical staff Strength & conditioning coach:Jem Manalang Physical therapist:Krish Torres Physiotherapist:Trina Corbitt
2024 All-Filipino Conference
Preliminary round
Standings
Match log
|- bgcolor=#fcc | 1 || February 24, 2024 || Cignal || 1–3 || 73–96 | Smart Araneta Coliseum 2,734 || 0–1 || 0 | P2 |- bgcolor=#fcc | 2 || February 29, 2024 || Creamline || 1–3 || 88–96 | PhilSports Arena 2,544 || 0–2 || 0 | P2
|- bgcolor=#cfc | 3 || March 5, 2024 || Farm Fresh || 3–0 || 75–56 | PhilSports Arena 329 || 1–2 || 3 | P2 |- bgcolor=#fcc | 4 || March 9, 2024 || Petro Gazz || 0–3 || 61–75 | Filoil EcoOil Centre 1,053 || 1–3 || 3 | P2 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 5 || March 16, 2024 || Nxled || 3–0 || 75–56 | Santa Rosa Sports Complex 5,178 || 2–3 || 6 | P2 |- bgcolor=#fcc | 6 || March 23, 2024 || Choco Mucho || 0–3 || 60–75 | Ynares Center 3,576 || 2–4 || 6 | P2
|- bgcolor=#fcc | 7 || April 2, 2024 || PLDT || 0–3 || 56–75 | PhilSports Arena 863 || 2–5 || 6 | P2 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 8 || April 6, 2024 || Galeries Tower || 3–0 || 75–56 | Santa Rosa Sports Complex 4,316 || 3–5 || 9 | P2 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 9 || April 11, 2024 || Capital1 || 3–0 || 75–51 | PhilSports Arena 621 || 4–5 || 12 | P2 |- bgcolor=#fcc | 10 || April 20, 2024 || Chery Tiggo || 0–3 || 54–75 | Santa Rosa Sports Complex 2,933 || 4–6 || 12 | P2 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 11 || April 27, 2024 || Strong Group || 3–0 || 75–39 | PhilSports Arena 396 || 5–6 || 15 | P2
Draft
Round Pick Player Position School 1 6 Stephanie Bustrillo OP UP
The Akari Chargers selected Stephanie Bustrillo with the 6th pick before passing during the second round.
Reinforced Conference
Preliminary round
Standings
Match log
|- bgcolor=#cfc | 1 || July 18, 2024 || Capital1 || 3–1 || 99–82 | PhilSports Arena 1,676 || 1–0 || 3 | P2 |- bgcolor=#efe | 2 || July 23, 2024 || Choco Mucho || 3–2 || 99–107 | PhilSports Arena 1,212 || 2–0 || 5 | P2 |- bgcolor=#efe | 3 || July 27, 2024 || Petro Gazz || 3–2 || 114–114 | PhilSports Arena 1,713 || 3–0 || 7 | P2
|- bgcolor=#cfc | 4 || August 1, 2024 || Zus Coffee || 3–0 || 75–56 | PhilSports Arena 1,138 || 4–0 || 10 | P2 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 5 || August 6, 2024 || Cignal || 3–1 || 90–83 | PhilSports Arena 562 || 5–0 || 13 | P2 |- bgcolor=#efe | 6 || August 10, 2024 || Galeries Tower || 3–2 || 113–97 | PhilSports Arena 366 || 6–0 || 15 | P2 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 7 || August 15, 2024 || Nxled || 3–1 || 96–79 | PhilSports Arena 410 || 7–0 || 18 | P2 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 8 || August 20, 2024 || Farm Fresh || 3–0 || 75–60 | Filoil EcoOil Centre 310 || 8–0 || 21 | P2
Final round
Bracket
Match log
|- bgcolor=#cfc | August 24, 2024 || Farm Fresh || 3–1 || 92–88 | Filoil EcoOil Centre 1,301 | P2
|- bgcolor=#efe | August 31, 2024 || PLDT || 3–2 || 108–111 | SM Mall of Asia Arena 7,496 | P2
|- bgcolor=#fcc | September 4, 2024 || Creamline || 0–3 || 55–75 | PhilSports Arena 8,289 | P2
2024–25 All-Filipino Conference
Preliminary round
Standings
Match log
|- bgcolor=#cfc | 1 || November 9, 2024 || Galeries Tower || 3–1 || 103–84 | PhilSports Arena 3,049 || 1–0 || 3 | P2 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 2 || November 14, 2024 || Zus Coffee || 3–1 || 94–83 | Filoil EcoOil Centre 825 || 2–0 || 6 | P2 |- bgcolor=#fcc | 3 || November 23, 2024 || Creamline || 0–3 || 57–76 | Candon City Arena 6,187 || 2–1 || 6 | P2 |- bgcolor=#fcc | 4 || November 30, 2024 || Farm Fresh || 0–3 || 58–75 | PhilSports Arena 751 || 2–2 || 6 | P2
|- bgcolor=#fcc | 5 || December 5, 2024 || Petro Gazz || 0–3 || 71–82 | Smart Araneta Coliseum 560 || 2–3 || 6 | P2 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 6 || December 10, 2024 || Chery Tiggo || 3–1 || 98–87 | PhilSports Arena 901 || 3–3 || 9 | P2
|- bgcolor=#fcc | 7 || January 18, 2025 || PLDT || 0–3 || 53–75 | PhilSports Arena 2,875 || 3–4 || 9 | P2 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 8 || January 23, 2025 || Nxled || 3–1 || 97–87 | PhilSports Arena 1,002 || 4–4 || 12 | P2
|- bgcolor=#cfc | 9 || February 1, 2025 || Capital1 || 3–0 || 76–50 | PhilSports Arena 2,667 || 5–4 || 15 | P2 |- bgcolor=#fcc | 10 || February 8, 2025 || Choco Mucho || 1–3 || 84–94 | PhilSports Arena 3,088 || 5–5 || 15 | P2 |- bgcolor=#fcc | 11 || February 18, 2025 || Cignal || 0–3 || 53–75 | PhilSports Arena 436 || 5–6 || 15 | P2
Qualifying round
Match log
|- bgcolor=#efe | March 4, 2025 || Farm Fresh|| 3–2 || 106–91 | PhilSports Arena 442 | P2
Final round
Bracket
Semifinals standings
Match log
|- bgcolor=#efe | 1 || March 15, 2025 || Galeries Tower || 3–2 || 106–96 | PhilSports Arena 1,873 || 1–0 | P2 |- bgcolor=#efe | 2 || March 20, 2025 || Galeries Tower || 3–2 || 100–102 | Ynares Center Antipolo 2,842 || 2–0 | P2
|- bgcolor=#efe | 1 || March 29, 2025 || Choco Mucho || 3–2 || 108–106 | Ynares Center Antipolo 5,915 || 1–0 || 2 | P2 |- bgcolor=#fcc | 2 || April 1, 2025 || Creamline || 0–3 || 56–75 | PhilSports Arena 6,152 || 1–1 || 2 | P2 |- bgcolor=#fcc | 3 || April 3, 2025 || Petro Gazz || 0–3 || 60–75 | Smart Araneta Coliseum 5,471 || 1–2 || 2 | P2
|- bgcolor=#efe | 1 || April 8, 2025 || Choco Mucho || 3–2 || 110–95 | Smart Araneta Coliseum 5,526 || 1–0 | P2 |- bgcolor=#fcc | 2 || April 10, 2025 || Choco Mucho || 1–3 || 88–102 | Smart Araneta Coliseum 6,457 || 1–1 | P2 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 3 || April 12, 2025 || Choco Mucho || 3–0 || 81–98 | PhilSports Arena 4,931 || 2–1 | P2
Transactions
Additions Player Date signed Previous team Petro Gazz Angels Creamline Cool Smashers FEU Lady Tamaraws Nxled Chameleons Nxled Chameleons Nxled Chameleons Nxled Chameleons UP Fighting Maroons EAC Lady Generals De La Salle Lady Spikers
Subtractions Player New team Galeries Tower Highrisers Nxled Chameleons Nxled Chameleons Nxled Chameleons Choco Mucho Flying Titans
Foreign guest player Team Foreign player Moving from Akari Chargers Oluoma Okaro ASP Thetis
Coaching changes Team Outgoing coach Manner of departure Replaced by Ref Akari Chargers Jorge Edson Resigned Raffy Monsuela Akari Chargers Raffy Monsuela Replaced Takayuki Minowa
References