Nxled, Choco Mucho chase solo PVL lead Thursday

Games Thursday (SM Mall of Asia Arena)

1 p.m. – Galeries Tower vs. Nxled

3:30 p.m. – National U vs. Alpha Insurance (Spikers’ Turf)

6 p.m. – Farm Fresh vs. Choco Mucho

PASAY CITY — Nxled and Choco Mucho will aim for their third straight victories and a share of the PVL All-Filipino Conference Siklab Series lead when action resumes Thursday, Oct. 22, at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.

Standing in their way are two teams determined to strengthen their own semifinal bids.

Galeries Tower hopes to secure its first victory after a winless start, while Farm Fresh seeks to recover from a five-set defeat and halt Choco Mucho’s early surge.

Nxled appears to have the more manageable assignment as it faces the struggling Highrisers in the 1 p.m. opener.

Galeries Tower has lost its first two matches, one in straight sets and another in four, and will need greater offensive consistency to challenge the unbeaten Chameleons.

Choco Mucho, meanwhile, faces a tougher test against a determined Farm Fresh squad in the 6 p.m. main event.

The Foxies swept the Highrisers before dropping a five-set decision to the Chameleons, leaving them eager to regain their winning form.

In Spikers’ Turf action, National U-Archipelago Builders and Alpha Insurance will square off at 3:30 p.m., with both teams seeking to build on their opening victories.

The Bulldogs secured a convincing four-set win over the VNS Griffins on Tuesday, while the Protectors battled past the Savouge Spin Doctors in five sets on Oct. 10.

Nxled eyes third straight victory

With the PVL’s single-round-robin elimination format leaving little room for error, every match carries considerable weight in the race for the semifinals.

Nxled and Choco Mucho have won their first two assignments to join idle Creamline atop the nine-team standings.

The top four teams will advance to the semifinals, with the two highest-ranked squads earning twice-to-beat advantages.

Nxled coach Ettore Guidetti will again rely on his team’s growing cohesion and roster depth, with multiple players capable of delivering points from different positions.

The Chameleons boast a formidable attacking lineup led by Brooke Van Sickle, Myla Pablo, EJ Cariño, Jovelyn Fernandez and Jonah Escamillan.

Their middle attack features Jackie Acuña, MJ Phillips and Ranya Musa, giving Nxled additional scoring and blocking options.

The arrival of setter Gel Cayuna has also strengthened the Chameleons’ offensive system.

Beyond distributing the ball effectively, Cayuna provides another scoring threat through her trademark 1-2 plays and well-placed attacks.

Guidetti acknowledged that the team is still developing its chemistry, particularly in maximizing Van Sickle’s offensive capabilities.

“As I told you, we have to take care of our side-out. And try to know each other much better. Yes, we know very well almost all the players. But not all the players, they know Brooke. So, this is an important one, where they put in,” said Guidetti.

“It’s a big help. But I really think that it’s kind of difficult to ask to my setter to be super connected to Brooke only with two games. So, we are progressing. We are getting better,” he added.

Despite its superior depth, Nxled cannot afford to underestimate Galeries Tower.

The Highrisers showed flashes of competitiveness in their earlier matches, with Erika Deloria erupting for 21 points in their four-set loss to Creamline.

However, Galeries Tower will need more consistent scoring support to challenge a Nxled squad with numerous attacking options.

Coach Aying Esteban faces the task of finding effective rotations and defensive combinations to contain the Chameleons’ varied offense.

With Nxled possessing considerable firepower on the wings and strength at the net, the Highrisers must improve their floor defense and transition plays.

The Chameleons needed five sets to defeat Farm Fresh last weekend, but their depth and offensive balance give them an advantage as they pursue another victory.

Choco Mucho faces tough Farm Fresh challenge

Choco Mucho has opened its campaign with resilience and attacking power, emerging as one of the early contenders in the conference.

The Flying Titans overcame a two-set deficit to stun Capital1 in a five-set thriller in Cebu on Oct. 10.

They followed that comeback with a convincing straight-set victory over ZUS Coffee on Oct. 15, highlighting the strength of their healthy and battle-ready lineup.

Eya Laure, Sisi Rondina, Des Cheng, Isa Molde and Kat Tolentino lead the Flying Titans’ offense.

Jaila Atienza, Jen Villegas, Lorene Toring and Lorraine Pecaña provide additional options and depth.

Farm Fresh, however, possesses enough firepower and experience to challenge Choco Mucho.

The Foxies are eager to bounce back from their narrow five-set defeat to Nxled and remain competitive in the race for the Final Four.

Trisha Tubu, Ces Molina, Royse Tubino, Rizza Cruz Galang, Riri Meneses, Renee Peñafiel and Mylene Paat-Rezanova give Farm Fresh a balanced combination of power, experience and versatility.

The performance of the Foxies’ setters could prove crucial in determining their chances.

Alohi Robins-Hardy and Louie Romero will be tasked with maintaining the team’s offensive rhythm against Choco Mucho’s deep attacking lineup.

Farm Fresh will need precise ball distribution, effective reception and sustained pressure at the net to keep pace with the Flying Titans.

For Choco Mucho, the challenge is to maintain its unbeaten run against an opponent determined to recover from a narrow defeat.

For Farm Fresh, the matchup offers an opportunity to turn its previous setback into a victory and strengthen its semifinal prospects.

With the elimination round still in its early stages, Thursday’s matches could begin to separate the leading contenders from teams struggling to keep pace in the nine-team field.