Nxled stakes immaculate slate
JELL Tempiatura and Nxled aim for a fifth straight victory and a stronger grip on the solo lead on Saturday when they battle Capital1 in the Premier Volleyball League Season 10 All-Filipino Conference Siklab series.
PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF PVL
Games today:
(Philsports Arena)
1 p.m. — Nxled vs Capital1
3:30 p.m. — NU-Archipelago Builders vs AFP
6 p.m. — Choco Mucho vs Akari
Stacked Nxled stakes its pristine record as it shoots for a fifth straight win and firmer hold of the solo lead against a young but dangerous Capital1 in the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) Season 10 All-Filipino Conference Siklab series Saturday at the Philsports Arena in Pasig City.
Opening serve is at 1 p.m. followed by the 6 p.m. main game featuring rebound-seeking teams Choco Mucho and Akari.
Fueled by a breakthrough runner-up finish in the Invitational Conference, the Chameleons have been on fire in their title bid behind the steady production of last year’s league Most Valuable Player Brooke Van Sickle.
The Filipino-American winger fired 19 points in leading Nxled to a 25-23, 23-25, 25-23, 25-17, victory over the Flying Titans last Tuesday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum for a 4-0 win-loss record.
Van Sickle will again be at the forefront of the Chameleons’ charge with veterans Myla Pablo, MJ Phillips, Jackie Acuna, Jonah Sabete-Escamillan and decorated setter Gel Cayuna to back her up.
She expects another tough outing especially against a youthful Solar Spikers side led by prolific scorers Bella Belen, Vanie Gandler and Erika Santos.
“I think this conference, we’re going to see a lot of that, where it’s like people are already doing reverse sweeps and pushing teams to the five. So, it’s kind of unpredictable, and it just goes to show that this conference, you have to fight and you have to earn every single point,” Van Sickle said surviving the Flying Titans’ challenge.
“So, you can’t let up even if you have a lead. So, I think that’s a lesson we’re definitely going to take into our next games,” she added.
Capital1 is trying to snap out of a two-game funk and improve from the 2-3 mark it shares with Akari.
The Solar Spikers suffered a 18-25, 29-31, 16-25, sweep at the hands of defending champion Creamline last 29 October in Santiago, Isabela, just five days after bowing to PLDT in four sets.
Meanwhile, Choco Mucho shoots to get back in the win column and break free from a three-way tie at 3-2 with idle Farm Fresh and PLDT to move up to solo third.
The Chargers, on the other hand, hope to recover from a stinging 22-25, 24-26, 25-23, 25-15, 10-15, upset loss to Galeries Tower on Tuesday.
In the Spikers’ Turf Invitational Conference, National University-Archipelago Builders (3-1) tackles listless Armed Forces of the Philippines (0-6) at 3:30 p.m.