NXLED lit up opening day of the 2024 PVL Reinforced Conference in style with a 25-19, 22-25, 25-18, 25-27, 15-12 victory over Galeries Tower on Monday at the Philsports Arena.
May Luna torched the Highrisers with a 17-point performance built on 15 attacks, one block and one ace.
Despite overcoming three Galeries set points in the fourth frame, the Chameleons lost grip and had to take the long way round for win No. 1 in a tight fifth-set tiebreak.
Last-minute replacement import Meegan Hart made a nice first impression with 19 markers on 12 attacks and a game-high seven blocks.
With just one day of full training before her Nxled debut, it was Hart’s ‘best foot forward’ approach that kept game together under physically demanding circumstances.
“I always put my best foot forward and I’m always ready in a sense in this league. In all leagues, you always have to be ready so it’s just trusting my game and in my teammates and the coaching staff,” said Hart.
READ Galeries Tower taps Sutadta Chuewulim in late import change
“They trust me and that gives me the confidence to go out there and play my heart out.”
Nxled mainstay Chiara Permentilla also delivered on defense with five kill blocks on top of seven attacks and two aces.
Another late hiring, Galeries Tower’s Sutadtad Chuewulim, fired 14 points in her PVL comeback alongside back-to-back 12-piece showings from Roselle Baliton and Andrea Marzan.
But it was France Ronquillo who led the way with 17 markers for the Highrisers, who fell a set short of what would’ve been their fifth franchise win in three PVL conferences.
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