Reporting note: this article draws on philstar.com; LodiScore provides the summary and editorial framing.
Nxled Chameleons win behind Sabete-Escamillan's 22 points
The Nxled Chameleons win streak is up to three in the PVL All-Filipino Conference after a 25-16, 22-25, 25-17, 25-19 takedown of ZUS Coffee at the MOA Arena. Jonah Sabete-Escamillan poured in 22 points to steady the Chameleons through a wobbly second set and a clean close-out.
Her line read 18 kills, three blocks and one ace. That production mattered because Brooke Van Sickle, Nxled's usual scoring anchor, was limited to 12 points, leaving the Chameleons needing someone else to take the heaviest swings.
Van Sickle still left her mark on defense with a match-best 13 digs, and Nxled's floor game kept ZUS Coffee from stringing together long runs. The Highrisers stole the second frame 25-22; the Chameleons answered by winning the third and fourth sets.
Jonah Sabete-Escamillan Says Speed Was the Answer
Sabete-Escamillan pointed to pace as the difference against a taller ZUS Coffee front line. "Knowing they're tall, we needed a fast game," she said.
It was a practical read of the matchup, and it held up. Nxled dropped only one set on the night and closed the match with back-to-back frames, never letting the Highrisers build on their second-set breakthrough.
Guidetti Ettore Praises Nxled's Resilience
Coach Guidetti Ettore framed the result as a continuation of the form his team showed late in the PVL on Tour and in the Invitational. "It's nice to see that we have the same resilience that we showed in the last part of the PVL on Tour as well as the Invitational," he said.
"Definitely following the same line of determination and they're more serene when faced with difficult situations," Ettore added. The second-set dip was the clearest test of that calm, and Nxled responded by reclaiming control right away.
Ettore also acknowledged the slip in concentration that cost his side the second frame, but stressed that the Chameleons stayed relatively composed for almost the entire match.
ZUS Coffee Highrisers Slip to a Third Straight Loss
For ZUS Coffee, the defeat was a third in a row, and the trend is becoming a real concern for the Highrisers. They stayed within range in the second set but could not repeat that level across the remaining frames.
Nxled's serving and defense made the difference in the closing sets, and ZUS Coffee had no answer once the Chameleons settled into their rhythm.
What the Invitational Runner-Up Finish Means for Nxled
Nxled is riding momentum from a runner-up finish in the Invitational a month ago, the best result in franchise history. The Chameleons have now won three straight in the All-Filipino Conference, and the early form suggests that Invitational run was no fluke.
The bigger question is durability. Nxled has shown it can win when Van Sickle is not the top scorer, which is exactly the kind of depth that matters in a long conference. Whether that translates into a deep All-Filipino run is the story to follow.
The original report on this match was published by philstar.com.
