Nxled stuns PLDT, reignites PVL Invitational title bid

Games Thursday

1:30 p.m. — Farm Fresh vs. Creamline

4 p.m. — Ho Chi Minh vs. PLDT

6:30 p.m. — EST Cola vs. Nxled

QUEZON CITY — Adjustment, recovery, resilience.

Nxled put all three on full display Tuesday, making a swift turnaround from a tough loss to Creamline and stunning defending champion PLDT, 25-19, 25-22, 25-20, to wheel back into strong contention in the PVL Invitational at Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The Chameleons did not merely recover from Monday’s four-set setback to the Cool Smashers — they responded with the kind of composure, discipline, and collective execution that could prove crucial in a tournament where there is hardly any time to dwell on a defeat.

With a premium placed on adjustment and recovery in the short, nine-day championship race, Nxled showed it could make the necessary corrections overnight and immediately translate them into results.

That could make the Invitational an even wilder race to the title.

Nxled’s consistent passing, ball control, and net defense dictated the tempo for most of the match, allowing the Chameleons to seize control from the opening serve and sustain it through each set against the High Speed Hitters for the tournament’s first straight-set victory.

There were moments when Nxled wavered midway through the sets, allowing PLDT to close the gap or pull level.

But every time the defending champions threatened to turn the momentum around, the Chameleons responded with poise and purpose, refusing to let the match slip away.

The result was an emphatic sweep of the team that swept the field on its way to the championship last year.

“I think after yesterday’s game, we put in a lot of work. We just wanted to showcase to everyone how much we’ve put in over the last couple of weeks, and thankfully, it showed out here today,” said MJ Phillips, who led Nxled with 13 points to earn the game’s top honors in the 90-minute romp.

The hard-hitting middle blocker capped her brilliant performance with four aces, including two back-to-back serves that clipped the top of the net before dropping into open spaces on the PLDT court.

PLDT looked poised to extend the match after surging to a 16-14 lead in the third set.

Nxled emerged from the timeout organized, scoring two quick points to level the score before capitalizing on a successful block challenge that sparked a decisive run and all but floored the High Speed Hitters.

Phillips delivered her second ace to give Nxled an 18-16 cushion.

Lyann De Guzman then scored on a drop ball and a block touch before Phillips came through with consecutive aces in almost identical fashion, with both serves grazing the top of the net and dropping into open spots.

In a flash, Nxled surged to a 21-16 lead, completely disorganizing the High Speed Hitters.

The Chameleons eventually sealed the victory on a soft hit by Jovelyn Fernandez and a Leila Cruz attack that sailed long.

Myla Pablo bounced back from her seven-point showing against Creamline with a 12-point effort, while De Guzman exploded for 10 points after being held scoreless Monday.

Jonah Sabete-Escamillan, meanwhile, slowed down with nine points after erupting for 20 against the Cool Smashers.

Pablo and De Guzman also showcased their defensive prowess with nine digs apiece, while Sabete-Escamillan anchored the back row with 15 receptions.

With Savi Davison unloading 20 points, PLDT out-attacked Nxled, 44-41.

The Chameleons controlled the net with seven blocks, three more than the High Speed Hitters, and pounced on PLDT’s shaky reception by firing six aces against the defending champions’ one.

Nxled also capitalized on PLDT’s erratic play, converting 21 free points while conceding just 12 — a significant improvement after surrendering 21 points on errors in its previous game against Creamline.

More importantly, Nxled’s victory underscored the ability of its coaching staff, led by head coach Ettore Guidetti, to identify problems and make timely adjustments in offense, rotations, defense, and out-of-system situations.

The players, for their part, showed the mettle to absorb a difficult loss one day and return sharper the next.

Nxled moved level with PLDT at 1-1, putting both teams back in the thick of a race that already looks anything but predictable.

The six-team Invitational uses a single-round-robin format, with each club facing the other five teams before the top two advance to the championship round.

PLDT opened its campaign with a four-set victory over EST Cola of Thailand, but Tuesday’s setback showed how quickly fortunes can change in a tournament played at such a furious pace.

With every team having little room for error and even less time to recover, one strong adjustment — or one costly lapse — could dramatically alter the championship picture.

Nxled gets another opportunity to build on its momentum Thursday against EST Cola, while PLDT seeks to rebound against Ho Chi Minh City of Vietnam.

The tournament takes a breather Wednesday before the race resumes Thursday.