CAPITAL1 is on the board in the 2025 PVL Reinforced Conference, at long last, after jumping on Nxled, 25-20, 23-25, 27-25, 25-12, on Thursday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
On her third try, this year’s first overall pick in Bella Belen earned her first win as a pro four months since being drafted by the Solar Spikers. She had 15 markers and 14 digs to lead their local core.
"Kapag ginagawa mo 'yung role mo as a player and as a team, talagang 'yung energy and pagse-celebrate [sa loob ng court], lumalabas nang kusa," Belen said.
"'Yung fourth set, talagang trinabaho kasi sabi namin na may chance na kaming maipanalo 'yung game so kailangang tapusin na namin. Kailangan naming manalo ngayon, hindi kami pwedeng matalo," she added.
But the scoring load wasn’t Belen’s alone, as Ukrainian winger Oleksandra Bytsenko detonated for a new conference-high 39 points and 17 receptions. She becomes the 43rd player and 25th import in the league's eight-year history to join the 30-point club.
The Jorge Souza de Brito-led side barely won two of the first three sets before pulling away for good in the fourth canto.
With the Belen-Bytensko duo in full steam, Capital1 built a lead as big as 14 in the final frame to keep the winless Chameleons at bay.
Iris Tolenada held the playmaking fort for the Solar Spikers with 26 excellent sets and three points in her best outing to date in import-laden play.
Nxled's lost luster
The Nxled offense only hinged on two players just like in their opening loss to Farm Fresh in Cavite.
Only this time, Spanish import Paola Martinez had the lion's share with 20 points. Scoring leader Chiara Permentilla again shone brightest with a stellar 18-point, 20-reception double-double, as the rest of the local Chameleons continue to struggle getting their shots in.
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