Needing a victory to keep its Finals hopes alive, Nxled delivered exactly that – and then had to wait.
The Chameleons overcame a third-set stumble to put away an also-ran but fiercely fighting Farm Fresh side, 25-20, 25-21, 18-25, 25-22, on Sunday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, closing out their elimination-round campaign in the PVL Invitational.
But despite the four-set victory in one hour and 59 minutes, Nxled’s work was far from over.
The Chameleons finished with a 3-2 slate and kept their championship bid firmly in play, only for their fate to be placed in the hands of the final two elimination matches later in the day: EST Cola against Ho Chi Minh and Creamline against PLDT.
If EST Cola and Creamline both prevail, the equation will be simple – and highly anticipated: Nxled and PLDT will be eliminated, while the Thais and the Cool Smashers will set up a rematch in Tuesday’s one-game championship.
Anything less, however, could turn the race into a mathematical free-for-all.
Reversals in both matches could produce a four-way tie, with as many as four teams finishing the eliminations at 3-2. That would send the tournament into the FIVB tie-breaking rules, with set and point ratios potentially becoming as important as wins and losses in determining which teams advance to the one-game championship showdown.
In other words, Nxled did its part. Now it has to watch.
And perhaps do a little scoreboard watching, too.
“I’m just proud of everyone’s mentality. It’s a dogfight in this tournament. The immediate bounce back from each game, playing back-to-back, so I’m really proud of our team for having that mentality to keep going even though we’re exhausted,” said middle blocker MJ Phillips, who earned Player of the Game honors after pouring in 25 points on two blocks and four aces.
Phillips’ performance underscored Nxled’s biggest advantage in the four-set victory over Farm Fresh: its relentless attack through the middle.
Showing instant chemistry and camaraderie with former Cignal ace playmaker Gel Cayuna, Phillips delivered when it mattered most, hammering three consecutive clutch hits off running attacks and quick plays that all but scuttled the Foxies’ comeback bid in the fourth.
Jackie Acuña likewise made her presence felt at the net, punishing Farm Fresh with a steady mix of slides, running attacks and quick plays. She finished with 12 points as the Chameleons repeatedly exploited the middle and kept the Foxies’ blockers guessing.
Together, Phillips and Acuña spearheaded Nxled’s control in the middle, giving the Chameleons a potent 1-2 punch that complemented the production on the wings from Jonah Escamillan and Myla Pablo, who chipped in 11 and 10 points, respectively. EJ Cariño also contributed nine markers.
After yielding the first two sets, the Foxies refused to go quietly, extending the match to a fourth set after stealing the third with a gritty stand.
Nxled, however, quickly re-established control in the fourth and this time fended off a series of Farm Fresh rallies to secure the crucial three points in a four-set win with Cariño sealing the victory with a block touch off Mylene Rezanova.
After conceding the third set, Phillips said the Chameleons never lost focus, staying patient and making the necessary adjustments.
“We just had to stay patient. A lot of times we started to get a little uptight, so I kept reminding the girls to just stay patient and just keep going, ’cause trust our skills,” she said.
Phillips also stressed that regardless of the uncertainty surrounding their Finals bid, Nxled will continue to fight until the very end.
“We’re just never gonna give up, and we’re gonna keep fighting until the end,” she said.
Cayuna also outshone her counterpart, Alohi Robins-Hardy, in the playmaking battle, finishing with 22 excellent sets against Robins-Hardy’s 19. She also contributed six points, three more than the Farm Fresh setter.
Farm Fresh drew 20 points from last season MVP Trisha Tubu, including three blocks, while rookie Jonna Perdido and Ces Molina added 13 and 12, respectively.
The Foxies actually held the edge in attacks, 61-58, but Nxled made the difference at the net, dominating the blocking department, 10-7, while also firing five aces and limiting Farm Fresh to just one.
After a four-set romp over Ho Chi Minh, Farm Fresh dropped its next four matches to finish with a 1-4 record.
