ANTIPOLO – Nxled weathered a late flurry from Cignal in the third set to complete a hard-fought sweep, 25-19, 25-22, 27-25, in the 2026 Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference on Saturday at the Ynares Center here.
After cruising through the first two sets, the Chameleons’ sloppy execution late in the third nearly allowed the Super Spikers to force a fourth set. However, Nxled managed to steady the ship in time to secure their third consecutive win and maintain a perfect 3-0 start.
The Chameleons seemed in full control after building a 19-14 cushion in the third set, poised to close out the match. But Cignal refused to fold, launching a furious rally led by Gel Cayuna, Tin Tiamzon, and Erin Pangilinan.
Together, they trimmed the deficit to a single point and turned the set into a tense showdown.
Nxled regained composure and pulled ahead, 23-21, after Lyann De Guzman tooled the block, inching closer to completing the sweep.
(C) PVL Images
The momentum shifted again when Myla Pablo was called for a costly net violation following the Super Spikers’ successful mid-rally challenge, injecting new life into Cignal. De Guzman’s next attack sailed long, and Pablo’s ensuing attempt also went out, giving Cignal set point at 24-23.
MJ Philips responded with a quick strike to even the score, but Erika Santos punched through the blockers to give Cignal another chance to extend the set.
Santos’ serve, however, fell short, deadlocking the score at 25-all. Brooke Van Sickle delivered a sharp cross-court hit to nudge the Chameleons back in front, and moments later, Vanie Gandler’s misfire ended Cignal’s resistance, sealing Nxled’s hard-earned victory after one hour and 31 minutes of gripping action.
“Honestly, we expect a very difficult game today because they are playing really good. They have a very nice beginning of the conference, they have three wins in a row. So, we expect to have a tough game, and we had a tough game,” said Chameleons head coach Ettore Guidetti.
Van Sickle tallied 14 points, all coming from attacks, while also contributing six excellent digs and nine excellent receptions. Philips matched her output with 14 points of her own, converting 14 of 17 attacks in a highly efficient performance for Nxled.
Pablo added 14 points and seven excellent receptions. Rookies De Guzman and Jules Tolentino also impressed, with the former scoring nine points and the latter registering 19 excellent sets and five points.
The Chameleons will face Galeries Tower on Thursday at 6:30 PM at the Filoil Centre, aiming for their fourth straight victory.
(C) PVL Images
Meanwhile, Cignal’s three-game winning streak came to an end as the Super Spikers slipped to 3-1 in the standings.
Santos was the lone double-digit scorer for Cignal with 15 points, complemented by five excellent digs. Erin Pangilinan added seven points off the bench.
Gandler, who averaged 18.33 points in the team’s first three games, was limited to just five, while Cayuna finished with eight excellent sets.
The Super Spikers will look to bounce back when they face another unbeaten squad, PLDT, on February 24 at 6:30 PM, also at the Filoil Centre.
