Premier Volleyball League on tour in Batangas City Sports Center as last June 28 to 29 saw Nxled Chameleons go on a 2 game winning streak and had Petro Gazz grabbed first win of the preseason.
Choco Mucho Flying Titans and Nxled Chameleons Goes 1-0
4 out of the 6 teams from Pool A saw action for the first time last June 28 and both Choco Mucho and Nxled all came out victorious in their matchups.
Despite being without several key players which are Sisi Rondina, Mars Alba, and first-round rookie Tia Andaya, who are with the national beach and indoor volleyball teams, the Flying Titans showed depth and balance in its lineup. Isa Molde shouldered the scoring load in Rondina’s absence, posting 20 points from 19 attacks and adding 12 excellent receptions to anchor the offense
Credits: Premier Volleyball League via Facebook
Choco Mucho dominated the opening set before succumbing to a strong second-frame surge by the Highrisers, who capitalized on a 10-3 blitz led by debuting second overall pick Jean Asis.
Galeries Tower Highrisers leveled the match as Choco Mucho struggled to regain rhythm. However, the Flying Titans bounced back in a tightly contested third set They maintained control in the fourth set to wrap up the match in just under two hours.
Credits: Premier Volleyball League via Facebook
Final Scores: 25-19, 25-13, 25-22, 25-20
Stepping into the captain’s role, Des Cheng looked confident in her return from an ACL injury, finishing with 13 points, 11 excellent digs, and five excellent receptions. Royse Tubino added eight markers, while rookies Ayesha Juegos and Jen Villegas chipped in seven points each. Deanna Wong distributed 15 excellent sets, and Thang Ponce supported the floor defense with nine digs.
On the other side, Galeries found a silver lining in the performance of Asis, their surprise No. 2 overall pick. She had 16 points from 13 attacks, two blocks, and an ace. Jewel Encarnacion backed her up with 14 points and 18 excellent receptions, while Ysa Jimenez contributed 13 markers
For the other match, Nxled stunned defending All-Filipino Conference champions Petro Gazz Angels in a thrilling five-set match, to register its first-ever franchise win over the Angels.
Credits: Premier Volleyball League via Facebook
The Chameleons leaned on a pair of clutch performers in Lyann De Guzman and local favorite Chiara Permentilla to turn the tide after trailing two sets to one.
De Guzman, the fourth overall pick in the draft, spearheaded Nxled’s comeback and ended her debut with a league-high rookie performance of 21 points on 18 attacks and three aces. She also made her mark on defense with eight digs and nine receptions. Permentilla, a native of Lipa, made the most of her limited playing time and delivered the final four points for the Chameleons in the deciding set, capping her 10-point outing with a match-winning off-the-block hit.
After a competitive opening set, Nxled slipped in the second and third, but they responded with a dominant fourth set before pulling away early in the fifth.
Final Scores: 25-23, 25-19, 25-19, 25-15, 15-10
EJ Cariño scored 12 points for Nxled through three sets, while Jovelyn Fernandez and Krich Macaslang added nine and eight, respectively. Jaja Maraguinot steered the playmaking with 15 excellent sets, aided by Maji Mangulabnan, while Rachel Jorvina anchored the backline with 15 digs.
The Angeles was led by Myla Pablo, who tallied 16 points which included five kill blocks and complemented it with 10 digs and eight receptions. Jonah Sabete added 14 points, and Marian Buitre finished with 10 markers, five of which came off blocks. Rookie setter Jules Tolentino facilitated with 17 excellent sets, and Jellie Tempiatura had 11 digs.
Chameleons Tops Pool A with 2-0 Record
Nxled gets another impressive win but this time over Choco Mucho in four tight sets last June 29 which was still at the Batangas City Sports Center.
Lyann De Guzman spearheaded the Chameleons again with 24 points and strong floor defense. Chiara Permentilla, fueled by hometown support, added 19 points and 19 receptions, dominating in the third set.
A costly service error by Aduke Ogunsanya leveled the fourth set at 22-all, paving the way for a crucial block by rookie Mayang Nuique on Isa Molde. Permentilla followed with a kill before De Guzman closed out the match with an ace.
Credits: Premier Volleyball League via Facebook
Final Scores: 25-20, 28-26, 27-25, 25-22
Jovelyn Fernandez contributed 14 points, while Jaja Maraguinot and Rachel Jorvina handled setting and defense duties.
Choco Mucho, led by Molde’s 16 points. Ogunsanya contributed 10 points, while Mean Mendrez and Royse Tubino had nine each. Rookie Jen Villegas added seven markers in the loss.
Flying Titans fell to 1-1 and will try to recover against Farm Fresh on July 12.
For the other match earlier that day, Petro Gazz rebounded from a five-set heartbreaker against Nxled by sweeping Galeries Tower.
Credits: Premier Volleyball League
Shaking off Saturday’s disappointment, the Angels showed greater composure and focus to even their record at 1-1 in Pool A. They capped the match with a gritty comeback in the third set, erasing a 20-23 deficit. Nicole Tiamzon stepped up with a block and a crosscourt kill to reach match point, before a Galeries service error and another Tiamzon spike sealed the straight-sets win in just under 100 minutes.
Credits: Premier Volleyball League
Myla Pablo led Petro Gazz with 14 points from attacks, while Jonah Sabete added 10 and nearly tallied a double-double with nine receptions. Joy Dacoron chipped in 10 markers, including three service aces and two blocks. Djanel Cheng orchestrated the offense with 16 excellent sets. Despite exiting late due to a knee issue, Baby Love Barbon stabilized the floor with eight digs and 10 receptions.
The Angels will enjoy a nearly two-week break before resuming their campaign in Ilagan, Isabela against PLDT on July 12.
Final Scores: 25-23, 25-21, 26-24
On the other side, Galeries Tower fell to 0-2. Ysa Jimenez had 13 points and eight digs, with Roselle Baliton and Jewel Encarnacion adding 10 and nine, respectively. Jean Asis, who impressed in her debut, was limited to just six points.
Galeries will aim to bounce back against Nxled on July 15.
