NXLED’s first taste of the PVL Finals ended in the harshest way possible.
The Chameleons were swept by Thai powerhouse EST Cola in their championship debut, a sobering finish to what had otherwise been a breakthrough run for a franchise that had spent much of the conference simply trying to put its pieces together.
But for Jonah Sabete-Escamillan, there was still light at the end of the tunnel.
READ: EST Cola sweeps Nxled to rule 2026 PVL Invitational
Nxled may have come up short on the biggest stage, but the Best Outside Hitter believes the Chameleons found something far more important throughout their run: the connection of a team that had once felt fragmented.
“Sobrang happy and blessed kasi ang habol talaga namin this conference is 'yung connection ng bawat isa. ‘Yun 'yung mahirap kunin agad-agad eh kasi last conference, medyo nangangapa kami kahit nandiyan pa si Brooke [Van Sickle]," she said.
This time, Nxled had to build that connection without some of its biggest pieces, including Brooke Van Sickle and Chiara Permentilla.
The Chameleons were also left with a thin outside hitter rotation, with Sabete-Escamillan carrying the position alongside veterans Myla Pablo and EJ Laure-Carino.
That made her individual plum all the more meaningful, even if it was never something she actively chased.
“Ito talaga 'yung reward ng hard work ko, pero hindi ko talaga siya iniisip eh. Ang iniisip ko lang ‘yung team ko talaga, kung paano ko ipu-push 'yung sarili ko, kung paano ko sila ma-push din," she added.
“Gusto kong ipa-feel sa kanila kung ano 'yung champion [feeling] na na-naranasan namin before sa team na dati pa.”
For Sabete-Escamillan, the fact that Nxled still made the Finals despite its depleted lineup was proof that the Chameleons were headed in the right direction.
“Good sign 'to sa amin kasi kulang nga kami. Like, tatlo lang kaming open [hitter] at wala kaming kapalitan talaga.”
And even from the sidelines, Van Sickle remained part of what Nxled was trying to build.
“Very good sign and also we know na si Brooke, nasa gilid pa rin sa amin eh. Nasa gilid siya and nagfe-feed up pa rin siya for us to guide talaga.”
The finals sweep will sting, especially for a team experiencing the championship stage for the first time. But for Sabete-Escamillan and Nxled, the painful ending did not erase what they discovered along the way.
The Chameleons may have fallen short of the crown, but after finally finding their connection, they believe they have something to carry into whatever comes next.
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