SIX games, six wins, and now, the first ticket to the 2026 PVL All-Filipino Conference semifinals.
Nxled turned its undefeated start into the first concrete reward of the Siklab Series, clinching a spot in the semis after taking down sister team Akari, 27-25, 25-22, 26-24, on Thursday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The Chameleons improved to a perfect 6-0 with two games to spare in the elimination round, a record good enough to guarantee a top-four finish and the franchise's first-ever trip to the Final Four.
“The goal is always to get to the semis. It’s the first for Nxled, so it's just special, I would say. It took a while, but I'm glad for everyone's hard work and dedication to the team,” said Brooke Van Sickle, who showed the way with 10 points.
But the victory, one Nxled head coach Ettore Guidetti described as among the “saddest” of his career, was marred by an awkward fall suffered by Jonah Sabete-Escamillan off an attack. Audibly grimacing in pain, the spiker was stretchered off the court after finishing with six points and four receptions.
Chameleons challenged
The straight-set result was also closer than it appeared. The Chameleons erased an 11-17 deficit in the opening set, scoring six of the final seven points to force an extended finish before pulling through.
The same story nearly unraveled in the third set, with Nxled having one match point erased before EJ Laure-Carino finally delivered the finisher to cap a nine-point outing.
With the semis secured, BVS and Co. can now set their sights on an even bigger prize: a twice-to-beat advantage. A win over Creamline on Tuesday will lock them into the top two, in turn gifting them a playoff incentive.
The Chargers suffered their second loss out of the last three to fall to 3-4, dealing their semis hopes a major blow.
Eli Soyud’s 16-point effort went for naught, along with the 10 points of Ced Domingo. Ivy Lacsina also took a scary hit late in the third set after crashing into the LED board, but returned to finish with six points and nine receptions.
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