MANILA, Philippines — Nxled did its part. Now, the Chameleons can only wait.
The Chameleons kept their hopes of reaching the 2026 Premier Volleyball League (PVL) Invitational finals alive on Sunday after defeating the already-eliminated Farm Fresh Foxies, 25-20, 25-21, 18-25, 25-22, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The victory was crucial for Nxled, which entered the final day of the preliminary round needing a win to remain in contention for one of the two championship berths.
But despite completing its own assignment, Nxled’s fate remains outside its control.
The Chameleons now need either EST Cola or Creamline to lose their respective final preliminary-round matches later Sunday to have a chance at advancing to the one-game PVL Invitational championship match.
Before Sunday’s action, EST Cola and Creamline were tied for first at 3-1, while Nxled and defending champion PLDT were both at 2-2. Farm Fresh and Ho Chi Minh City had already been eliminated from the finals race.
Phillips powers Nxled in crucial victory
Nxled leaned heavily on MJ Phillips, who delivered a team-high 25 points to spearhead the Chameleons’ attack.
Jackie Acuna added 12 points, Jonah Sabete-Escamillan contributed 11 points and 21 receptions, while veteran Myla Pablo finished with 10.
EJ Laure-Cariño chipped in nine points and led Nxled defensively with 13 digs.
The Chameleons controlled the opening two sets, taking a 2-0 advantage before Farm Fresh finally found an answer in the third.
The Foxies took the third set, 25-18, threatening to force a deciding fifth frame.
Nxled, however, refused to let the match slip away.
The Chameleons regained their composure in the fourth set and closed out the match, securing the victory they desperately needed to keep their finals campaign alive.
For Farm Fresh, Trisha Tubu led the way with 20 points and 10 digs, while Jonna Perdido added 13 points and 11 receptions. The defeat dropped the Foxies into the battle for fifth place.
Nxled now needs help
The victory moved Nxled to 3-2, but winning alone was not enough to guarantee a finals berth.
The Chameleons’ situation became a waiting game because both teams ahead of them still had their final matches to play.
According to the latest PVL standings entering Sunday’s matches, Creamline and EST Cola each had eight match points, while Nxled had seven.
Nxled’s four-set victory then gave the Chameleons 10 points, putting them in position to leap into the finals if either Creamline or EST Cola falters.
The remaining games:
4:00 p.m. — EST Cola vs. Ho Chi Minh City
6:30 p.m. — PLDT vs. Creamline
Both EST Cola and Creamline entered the day at 3-1, while Ho Chi Minh City and Farm Fresh were already out of the championship race.
EST Cola was coming off a major upset of Creamline, beating the Cool Smashers 21-25, 25-21, 25-22, 27-25 on Friday behind a 27-point performance from Papatchaya Phontham.
Creamline, meanwhile, had been one of the tournament’s top teams before that defeat and still had a chance to secure a finals berth against defending champion PLDT.
A finals berth is now within reach—but not guaranteed
Nxled’s victory creates a dramatic finish to the PVL Invitational preliminary round.
The Chameleons have done what they could: win their final game and finish with 10 points.
Now they must watch the results of EST Cola-Ho Chi Minh City and PLDT-Creamline.
A loss by either EST Cola or Creamline can open the door for Nxled to crash the finals, with the exact qualification outcome depending on the results and the tournament’s tiebreaking criteria.
The PVL has scheduled the one-game championship finale for September 8 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, with the final participants to be determined after Sunday’s elimination-round games.
For Nxled, the hard part on the court is finished.
The Chameleons can only wait now—and hope one of the two teams standing between them and their first-ever PVL finals appearance finally cracks.
WWC ONE MEDIA J.M.S
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