Fifi, Faith get reunited

Faith Nisperos and Fifi Sharma are ready to showcase what they learned in their international stints playing for the national team to help Akari’s cause in the 2024-25 Premier Volleyball League (PVL) All-Filipino Conference.

The two top gunners reunite with the Chargers for the six-month-long season-opening conference unwrapping Saturday at the Philsports Arena in Pasig City.

Akari loaned Nisperos and Sharma to Alas Pilipinas which participated in four international tournaments and played in a series of friendlies against top teams in Asia and other continents.

“Apart from experiencing the kind of bond we have in Alas within that short amount of time, it was nice getting to play with and against the best players in Asia or the world,” Sharma said.

“Faith and I are very excited to share our skills and everything we’ve learned with our teammates.”

Alas finished with a historic bronze medal in the 2024 Asian Women’s Volleyball Challenge Cup and participated in the 2024 FIVB Women’s Volleyball Challenger Cup, both held in the country.

The national team also bagged back-to-back bronze in the Southeast Asian Women’s V-League in Vietnam and Thailand.

Joined by other PVL stars in Alas, Sharma and Nisperos also got a chance to learn more about their league rivals.

“We’ve learned a lot from them. We’ve seen how they work. And we picked up a lot from that. So I guess, it’s just an application of what we’ve learned in PVL,” Nisperos said.

The duo returned to an Akari squad that kept its roster intact following a fruitful third season.

“It’s a good faith because not much has really changed with the team. I mean, we’re still the same components,” Nisperos added.

Reduced to mere spectators during the Reinforced Conference where the Chargers had a breakthrough runner-up finish behind powerhouse Creamline, Sharma and Nisperos are excited to help the club reach greater heights.

“Well, being on the sidelines last conference, it’s exciting to play with them, to be on the court with them. And of course, it’s added motivation. We’ve seen how they played. It’s fulfilling to feel that we’re together on the court with them,” Nisperos said.

The Chargers, however, skipped the season-ending Invitational Conference.

For her part, Sharma welcomes the challenge of equaling or if not surpassing what the club has achieved in the import-laden conference.