The Nxled Chameleons turned an early stumble into a statement win, overpowering the PLDT High Speed Hitters, 21-25, 25-23, 25-13, 25-14, to stay in the hunt for a Qualifying Round spot in the 2026 PVL All-Filipino Conference on Thursday at the FilOil Centre.
After a shaky opening set marked by poor reception and tentative play, the Chameleons quickly found their footing. They tightened their defense, improved their floor coverage, and executed with more purpose, disrupting PLDT’s rhythm and taking control of the match from the second set onward.
The win pushed Nxled to a 5-4 record at the end of its prelims campaign, temporarily placing it at No. 5. Akari and Creamline, both at 5-3, have yet to complete their assignments. PLDT, meanwhile, dropped to 7-2 but remained at the top despite having its four-game winning streak snapped.
Nxled Gets Balanced Contributions for Big Win
Nxled leaned on a balanced attack, with four players scoring in double figures. Setters Jules Tolentino and Djanel Cheng orchestrated the offense effectively, keeping PLDT’s defense guessing throughout the final three sets.
After edging a tight second set, Nxled dominated the third with a 25-13 rout, overwhelming the league’s top blocking squad with a mix of power and precision. The fourth set followed a similar pattern. Nxled jumped to an early lead, held a narrow 13-11 advantage, then steadily pulled away as PLDT struggled to respond.
Brooke Van Sickle led all scorers with 21 points, while Jonah Sabete-Escamillan added 15 and Myla Pablo chipped in 13. MJ Phillips bounced back from a slow start to finish with 16 points, including three aces and two blocks, earning Best Player of the Game honors.
“I’m really happy with my performance, but honestly I couldn’t have done this without my teammates. It’s a reminder of the push I needed,” Phillips said.
Nxled dominated PLDT in attacks, 63-47, and sealed the win in one hour and 42 minutes, with Escamillan delivering the finishing blow.
Savi Davison paced PLDT with 18 points, while Alleiah Malaluan had 13, most of which came early.
What’s Next in the 2026 PVL All-Filipino Conference
Saturday, March 21 • Filoil Centre
Capital1 Solar Spikers vs. Galeries Tower Highrisers, 1:30 p.m.
Farm Fresh Foxies vs. Akari Chargers, 4:00 p.m.
Cignal Super Spikers vs. Creamline Cool Smashers, 6:30 p.m.
Nxled Chameleons
TBD
PLDT High Speed Hitters
TBD
