NXLED threw a curveball into the 2026 PVL Invitational on Tuesday, stunning defending champion PLDT in straight sets and giving life to head coach Ettore Guidetti’s belief that, in Philippine volleyball, the impossible is always within reach.
The Chameleons have had little to show for their efforts in recent conferences, with their uphill climb made even steeper by the absence of three-time PVL MVP Brooke Van Sickle who is on the mend from a right shoulder injury.
READ: BVS-less Nxled takes down PVL Invitational defending champ PLDT
But the belief that even the league’s giants can be slayed has never wavered, and it came to life against a PLDT side fresh off a dominant 25-19, 25-22, 25-20 sweep.
The victory also kept alive Nxled’s pursuit of a first-ever finals appearance, and perhaps something even bigger: a maiden PVL title.
“The lesson that I learned from September 2, 2024 [when I arrived] in the Philippines is that anything may happen. Anything," Guidetti said.
"We try always to give a good push to the team because we are really positive that we can reach the final part of this tournament. It will be super difficult because here are the best four teams of the league, plus two very good teams of foreigners. We know it's not simple," he added.
Results may not have gone Nxled’s way in previous conferences, but Guidetti sees enough in the way his team is playing to believe its ceiling is higher than its record suggests.
With Van Sickle expected to return next conference, the Italian coach is already looking beyond merely putting the pieces back together, promising to turn the Chameleons into a more legitimate title threat than they have been on paper.
“Honestly, I am really happy because we are continuously playing good volleyball. This is something that will help us also starting from the next conference when we will have Brooke back. I promise her that I'm gonna fix the team. And I'm gonna organize everything," Guidetti said.
Serve, pass, win
Until then, her fellow Fil-American ace MJ Phillips continues to shoulder much of the scoring load in Van Sickle’s absence, and she delivered another statement performance against PLDT with 13 points on nine attacks, four aces and a block.
For Phillips, however, Nxled’s breakthrough was less about individual firepower and more about winning the skill game that she believes will ultimately decide the tournament.
“We have to win the serve and pass game. So, whoever has the better serve and pass will win this tournament. We just really put a huge focus on that today, and I'm happy that we came out," Phillips said.
That serve-and-pass emphasis was reflected in the numbers, too, with Nxled either beating or matching PLDT in key categories: six aces to the High Speed Hitters’ one, 29 receptions to PLDT’s 30, and an even 51 digs apiece.
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