CEBU CITY— The cheers at the USJ-R Coliseum hit differently for Krich Macaslang.
For the 25-year-old middle blocker, Monday night’s sweep of Farm Fresh wasn’t just another match. It was a culmination of two years of yearning—a dream finally realized right in her hometown.
Macaslang and the Nxled Chameleons clinched their first-ever Premier Volleyball League (PVL) quarterfinals appearance with a dominant 25-13, 25-16, 25-14 victory, securing the second seed in Pool A of the PVL On Tour. And for one of the team’s remaining originals, it was nothing short of surreal.
“Parang I feel like I’m a rookie. Alam mo yung feeling na bago lahat. Like this feeling na you craved for for a long time and now, craving satisfied,” Macaslang said, her voice thick with emotion.
This wasn’t just a personal milestone—it was a homecoming triumph. A native of Sabang, Danao, Macaslang relished the chance to deliver in front of her fellow Cebuanos, many of whom had watched her rise from local leagues to the pro stage.
“Nothing can compare to this feeling kasi especially me, kasi I’m a Cebuano so I really wanted to give them a good fight, a good game, and parang by God’s will, we did achieve our goal today,” she shared, beaming with pride.
Macaslang’s PVL journey has been anything but easy. Nxled debuted in late 2023, enduring growing pains and struggling to break through the stacked league landscape. But through it all, the 6-foot Adamson alumna stayed the course—anchoring a team that slowly evolved from cellar dwellers into legitimate contenders.
It wasn’t her first time playing on Cebu soil, but it was certainly the most meaningful. Back in December, Nxled visited Minglanilla during the 2024-25 PVL All-Filipino Conference, only to suffer a stinging straight-sets loss to Cignal. That bitter memory served as motivation.
“And sabi ko nga sa mga past interviews, it’s a familiar feeling pero iba na nga yung level ngayon kasi it’s a higher level, it’s not yung Cebu league lang and I’m really proud as a Cebuana to be playing in the PVL,” she added.
This time around, the Chameleons came armed with improved chemistry, a sharper system, and most importantly—a renewed belief in themselves. Much of that, Macaslang said, is because of one man: Italian tactician Ettore Guidetti.
Since joining Nxled, Guidetti has injected not only a winning system but a culture of accountability, grit, and growth. His presence, Macaslang explained, has changed everything.
“I would give all the credit to Coach Ettore. Everything, everything we do, everything, the plans, the strategies, it’s all coach Ettore. Even yung attitude namin inside the court, it’s all him,” she said. “Pag nakikita namin siya, alam mo yung iba yung dating niya eh. Parang when you see him, you want to play and kasi nakikita mo sakanya na grabe siya mageffort. So kami, as a player, we want to reciprocate that also.”
