Permentilla gets groove back

Akari winger Chiara Permentilla worked for four long years to get back to her competitive form after suffering a knee injury.

All her efforts are slowly coming to fruition as she earns the trust of head coach Jorge de Brito.

Inserted as a starter for the first time since her return to the lineup, Permentilla did not disappoint with her huge contribution that ended the Chargers' three-game slide in the Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference.

The Adamson University product delivered an all-around performance in Akari's 25-18, 25-19, 23-25, 25-19, win over the listless Army last Tuesday at the Philsports Arena in Pasig City.

Permentilla finished with 13 points all coming off attacks and was active on floor defense with 10 excellent receptions and eight digs as a starter in all four sets.

"I fought for this. It's been so long. I really worked hard to get back. So I'm very, very happy and I'm proud of myself," the Filipina-Italian said.

It was an uplifting moment for the outside hitter whose promising volleyball career was put on hold after she sustained an anterior cruciate ligament tear on her left knee back in July 2019 while playing for Marinerang Pilipina in the defunct Philippine Superliga.

Permentilla, after her long journey to recovery, returned to action last 11 February in the Chargers' second game of the tournament.

She was fielded as a substitute in the third set where she finished with two points in a straight-sets loss.

Permentilla had five points in her second game, again coming off the bench to post five markers in a losing effort against Cignal on Valentine's Day.

She was not included in the lineup of Akari in its opening day defeat at the hands of Choco Mucho.

"It feels good to be back on the court. It feels good you know I went through a long journey. A long process, at first I was just on the sidelines and then you know slowly finding my way back on the court. Then making the lineup and now playing once again," she said.

De Brito praised his ward's determination as he himself saw the effort she put in to earn a spot in the roster.

"She was perfect. As she said to you guys, she's struggling for two years, coming back to the sidelines recovering," he said.

"Last season she was there every single day. The guys have a day off but she was still there also training, just focusing on the next step, the next level."