Cool Smashers ride streak, Chameleons seek end to skid in key duel

Standings	W	L	Points
Cignal	5	2	16
PLDT	5	1	14
Creamline	4	1	12
Choco Mucho	3	3	9
Farm Fresh	2	4	9
Nxled	3	3	8
Capital1	3	3	7
Akari	2	3	6
Galeries Tower	2	4	6
Zus Coffee	1	6	3

Games today, March 7, 2026

4 p.m. – Nxled vs. Creamline

6:30 p.m. – Akari vs. Capital1

Streaks will be on the line as surging Creamline squares off with a struggling Nxled side in a crucial battle for momentum in the Premier Volleyball League PVL All-Filipino Conference at the FilOil EcoOil Centre on Saturday.

The Cool Smashers enter the 4 p.m. showdown riding a wave of confidence after sweeping their last four matches following an opening-day stumble. The 10-time champions have rediscovered their rhythm, methodically dispatching opponents and looking every bit the title contender many expect them to be.

Nxled, meanwhile, finds itself in an entirely different situation.

After an impressive start that saw the Chameleons win three straight behind a star-studded roster, the team suddenly lost its footing, absorbing a string of setbacks that pushed it from early contender status to the outside looking in.

The contrasting runs make their meeting intriguing — a Creamline side growing stronger by the match versus an Nxled squad desperate to halt its slide.

Despite the recent losses, Nxled coach Ettore Guidetti remains optimistic that his team can rediscover the chemistry that fueled its early success.

Nxled’s roster remains among the league’s deepest, anchored by consistent performers such as Brooke Van Sickle and MJ Phillips. But the other key players and supporting cast — Myla Pablo, Jonah Sabete, Chiara Permentilla, EJ Laure, Aduke Ogunsanya, Aby Maraño and setter Jules Tolentino — have yet to consistently click as a unit, leaving Guidetti searching for the right mix.

Creamline, in contrast, appears to have already found its groove.

After absorbing a shutout loss to the PLDT High Speed Hitters in their opener, the Cool Smashers bounced back the way champions typically do — steadily and emphatically. They defeated the Choco Mucho Flying Titans and ZUS Coffee Thunderbelles in four sets, swept the Capital1 Solar Spikers, and then overpowered the Galerie Tower Highrisers.

So fluid has Creamline’s system become that coach Sherwin Meneses often simply watches from the sidelines as his veteran core, led by setter Jia de Guzman, dictates the flow of the game.

Spearheaded by Bernadeth Pons, Jema Galanza, Tots Carlos, Pangs Panaga, Michele Gumabao and Alyssa Valdez, the Cool Smashers have displayed the poise and balance expected from a championship-tested squad.

“Syempre balik muna kami sa training. Knowing yung team ng Nxled, talagang champion team din kahit nga nagiba yung pangalan. Talagang magreready kami kasi syempre may time kami para makabawi then, mag-improve kami papunta sa quarterfinals or san man kami abutin,” said Creamline head coach Sherwin Meneses.

“Yun yung target namin muna kasi syempre medyo ilang game pa ba sa elimination, so, apat na games pa so, napaka-importante nung last four games namin kung ano yung magiging sitwasyon ng team namin. Pero magfocus muna kami sa Nxled,” he added.

Still, Nxled’s talent alone makes the matchup unpredictable — proof that momentum in the league, organized by Sports Vision, can swing just as quickly as it arrives.

The 6:30 p.m. clash between Akari and Capital1 also promises to be as compelling as they mix it up in a duel between two teams coming off morale-boosting victories.

Akari stunned league-leading Cignal in a dramatic five-set thriller, while Capital1 halted the surge of Farm Fresh, also via a grueling five-set battle.

Given their recent form, another marathon appears very much within reach.

The Chargers seek a third straight win behind the resurgent crew of Ivy Lacsina, Grethcel Soltones, Fifi Sharma, Ced Domingo and Eli Soyud, with the bench providing steady support.

But Akari faces a daunting task in containing Capital1’s explosive offense led by league scoring leader Bella Belen, who appears poised for another 20-point outing.

Capital1 also draws confidence from the breakout performance of Sydney Niegos, who erupted for 20 points in their previous win, while Shaya Adorador, Pauline Gaston, Cherry Nunag and France Ronquillo continue to deliver timely contributions.

With every set carrying weight in the race for the Qualifying Round, the remaining seven playdates promise intense battles — even for teams fighting from the lower half of the standings.