The five-set escape may have gone to the Nxled Chameleons, but the real test came from the other side of the net.
Nxled needed everything it had to outlast the Farm Fresh Foxies, 25-23, 13-25, 21-25, 25-15, 15-12, in its 2026 PVL All-Filipino Conference opener, and much of that resistance stemmed from the system installed by Farm Fresh head coach Koji Tsuzurabara.
Tsuzurabara, who previously led the now-defunct Petro Gazz Angels to an All-Filipino Conference title in the 2024–2025 season, knew how to make life more difficult for Myla Pablo and Brooke Van Sickle, the two players he guided on that championship run.
“As always, Coach Koji knows us, so he knows what we struggle [with] and what we’re good at. So, I already knew it was gonna definitely be hard offensively to score, just because he knows the players and he’s been around the game for a long time,” Van Sickle said.
“I feel like he did a really good job developing Farm Fresh and their defense. I thought they had a lot of good plays, soaked up the ball, and played a lot, making good decisions. I definitely think that it was a long rally game.”
Chess Match Unfolds Between World-Class Coaches
The difference came late, when Nxled head coach Ettore Guidetti countered with timely adjustments. In the fourth and fifth sets, Guidetti turned to Lyann de Guzman and Aduke Ogunsanya, opting for energy and stability over usual starters Chiara Permentilla and Krich Macaslang.
“Very proud of everyone for doing a great job. I thought Lyann, especially being one of the young guns, she did a fantastic job,” said Guidetti. “She came in and produced a lot of points and a lot of energy. Myla, as always, [is] killing it.”
Once the match ended, the intensity quickly gave way to smiles, a reminder of shared history between players and coaches across both sides.
“Sobrang nakaka-excite kasi, siyempre, si Remy, Coach Koji, alam niya ‘yung galaw namin nung sa Petro Gazz. I’m really happy na nakabalik siya sa Pilipinas, and hopefully, maka-bonding namin siya after this,” Pablo said.
For Nxled, the opener was not just a win, but an early indication of how demanding the road ahead will be. For Farm Fresh, on the other hand, the close call showed it could be a force throughout the conference.
