Nxled mounted a couple of stirring comebacks to repel Farm Fresh, hacking out a 24-26, 25-20, 25-23, 20-25, 15-11 decision in a duel of struggling teams in the Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference at the Philsports Arena in Pasig City Tuesday night.
Camille Victoria and Lycha Ebon foiled Kate Santiago’s attack to end the Foxies’ own bid for a last-ditch fightback as the Chameleons prevailed in a decider marked by fierce exchanges but marred by a number of miscues.
But the Chameleons survived their struggles, putting up a strong finishing kick the way they did in the third set when they overcame a 20-22 deficit and won by two behind a late four-point binge capped by an Ebon ace.
The Foxies saved a set point on a Trisha Tubu blast but Victoria scored on a quick play as the Chameleons snatched the pivotal set to go 2-1 up.
The Foxies did stage their own comeback in the fourth to force the decider where Farm Fresh appeared to have gained the edge while pouncing on their opponents’ errors, 8-5.
But the Chameleons came out of the technical timeout an organized lot, racking up three straight points, including a block off Chinnie Arroyo.
They wrested the lead as the Foxies yielded a point on a lapse in communication, the first of their four errors in the stretch.
Nxled padded its lead to 10-8 on a Farm Fresh net violation, and Chiara Permentialla scored a crucial point off an out-of-system play following a Tubu attack and the Chameleons moved to match point as Santiago and Tubu made flawed assaults in their bids to launch a counter.
Nxled thus picked up its second straight win following its romp over Strong Group last Thursday but it hardly boosted its ranking to 3-6 for solo eighth.
Farm Fresh, on the other hand, slipped to 2-7.
Ivy Lacsina paced Nxled with 21 points, including 18 on attacks, while Ebon sizzled with 17 points and Victoria and Permentilla contributed 16 markers apiece that helped key the Chameleons’ two-hour and 26-minute victory.
“It’s really nice to see that we won it five because it was our first time (going through such distance),” said Nxled coach Taka Minowa, who also tinkered his starting lineup.
“Jho (Maraguinot) was always the first six but I remember last conference against Farm Fresh, Chiara (Permentiall) is a Farm Fresh killer, so she played very good,” Minowa said.
Arroyo came away with 19 points, Caitlyn Viray scored 18 points, and Santiago and Tubu finished with 11 and 10 markers, respectively, and Aprylle Tagsip made nine points for the Foxies in the tight contest.
Farm Fresh edged Nxled in spikes (68-67) and in blocks (9-8) but the Foxies capitalized on their rivals’ shaky reception and scored nine aces while yielding four.
Both teams also gave up almost the same unforced errors with Nxled gaining 25 points but conceding 24 of their own.
