A coveted semifinal incentive should further sharpen the focus of Nxled and PLDT as they seek to extend their unbeaten runs against struggling rivals Thursday in the Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference at the FilOil Playtime Centre in San Juan.
The Chameleons headline the 6:30 p.m. duel against the Galeries Tower Highrisers, seeking a fourth straight victory and control of the solo lead in the single-round preliminaries.
At 4 p.m., the PLDT High Speed Hitters square off with the Akari Chargers, determined to sustain their surge after back-to-back statement wins.
Nxled appears to be hitting peak form at the right time.
Built around the core of four-time champion Petro Gazz, the Chameleons have steadily jelled into one of the most balanced and explosive squads in the tournament. Their emphatic sweep of erstwhile unbeaten Cignal Super Spikers underscored not just their firepower, but their system efficiency and defensive discipline.
Coach Ettore Guidetti is expected to maximize his deep rotation anew, knowing that a sweep of the prelims would mean an outright semifinal berth – a crucial advantage that avoids the uncertainty of crossover battles.
“We just know every single game, we have a big target on our back,” said Guidetti.
Brooke Van Sickle, Myla Pablo and MJ Phillips have sustained the championship form that powered Petro Gazz to the Reinforced Conference title. Their seamless integration with Nxled holdovers like Lyann de Guzman, along with key new pieces, has given the Chameleons a blend of experience, chemistry and versatility that few teams can match.
On paper, Nxled holds clear edges in firepower, blocking presence and bench depth – advantages that make them heavy favorites against a Galeries Tower side still searching for consistency.
Despite owning just one win in three outings, the Highrisers carry upset potential.
Their recent 14-25, 15-25, 12-25 loss to the Farm Fresh Foxies was humbling, but it may also serve as a reset. Coach Clarence Esteban remains hopeful that veterans Aiza Pontillas and Erika Deloria, along with Erika Raagas, Roselle Baliton and Cams Victoria, can respond with urgency.
With little pressure and everything to gain, Galeries Tower could play freer – a dangerous proposition in a conference already marked by reversals.
Like Nxled, PLDT enters as the prohibitive favorite – but not without caution.
The High Speed Hitters are brimming with confidence after impressive victories over Creamline and Capital1. Savi Davison and Kim Dy continue to anchor the attack, while the formidable middle rotation of Majoy Baron, Mika Reyes, and Seth Rodriguez gives PLDT a decisive edge at the net.
“Kailangan naming mag-regroup agad. Galing kami sa panalo, pero dapat maayos ang mindset namin at maintindihan na kailangan pa ring paghirapan ang susunod na laban,” said PLDT head coach Rald Ricafort.
Their bench depth and balanced scoring make them difficult to scheme against, and when their blocking and transition game click, they can overwhelm opponents quickly.
Yet Akari is far from an automatic win.
The Chargers dropped their first two matches – a shutout loss to the Choco Mucho Flying Titans and a gritty five-set defeat to the ZUS Coffee Thunderbelles – but flashes of promise remain.
Ivy Lacsina rediscovered her scoring touch with a 24-point explosion against the Thunderbelles, signaling a possible return to top form after battling injuries. With better support from Grethcel Soltones, Ced Domingo, and Eli Soyud – and sustained production from Fifi Sharma and Chenie Tagaod – Akari could pose a serious challenge.
