Nxled’s play-in win on Saturday carried more significance than just a step closer to the semifinals—it also closed a painful chapter that began a month ago against the same Galeries Tower squad.
It was that preliminary-round encounter that first unraveled the Chameleons’ campaign: a 19-25, 25-17, 20-25, 21-25 loss that sparked a four-game losing streak and ultimately proved costly in their bid to reach the qualifying round of the 2026 Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference.
Nxled still had a chance to salvage their qualifying hopes after stringing together two consecutive wins to close the preliminaries, but the damage had already been done. The permutations simply did not fall in their favor, leaving the Chameleons stuck in the play-in stage.
But Saturday’s match offered sweet revenge, as Nxled ousted the Highrisers, 25-23, 25-18, 25-23, in the play-in semifinal at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium, moving them one step closer to the round-robin semifinals.
When asked what made the difference this time, head coach Ettore Guidetti cited two key factors but emphasized that having MJ Phillips—who missed their previous encounter due to a knee injury—was decisive, as her presence alone transformed the team’s dynamics on both ends of the court.
“Well, do you want me to be honest or polite?” said Guidetti.
“First of all, we didn’t play with MJ Phillips last time. She had a minor knee problem, so we couldn’t field her.”
(C) PVL Images
The two-time league Best Middle Blocker made an immediate impact, tallying a game-high 17 points on 13 attacks, three kill blocks, and one ace—contributions that Nxled sorely missed in their preliminary-round defeat.
“And today, she scored 17 points in just three sets. Honestly, when one of your two best players is unavailable, it changes the whole situation,” Guidetti said.
“With MJ, we have three rotations we can rely on for side-outs. I don’t want to say it’s automatic, but more or less, yes—it gives us balance.”
Aside from Phillips, the Italian tactician said another factor in the earlier loss was the absence of veteran playmaker Djanel Cheng, who had been providing crucial minutes as the steady backup to starting setter Jules Tolentino.
“Also, to be honest, we had a little misunderstanding about Cheng’s physical condition last time, so I couldn’t play her. She helps a lot in every single game,” Guidetti explained.
With the win over the Highrisers, Nxled is now just one victory away from the semifinals. Guidetti believes that as long as the team maintains the same discipline and intensity, they have a strong chance of advancing.
“So, today, we were complete. And that’s the key. I’m not so full of myself to say I did something special. This is a great team,” he said.
“When they play together, they play great.”
#WATCH: A LOT OF ALCHEMY — AND IT’S A STRANGE ONE 🏐
Nxled head coach Ettore Guidetti talks about the up-and-down #PVL2026 of the Chameleons#ReadMore 👉 https://t.co/n30BG0uRjU
📹 @jonashdcd /Tiebreaker Times pic.twitter.com/D3otnbsflk
— Tiebreaker Times (@tiebreakertimes) March 28, 2026
