Photo: PVL
The Nxled Chameleons started strong and showed plenty of fight but could not sustain their momentum, yielding to the defending champion Creamline Cool Smashers, 25-20, 13-25, 16-25, 18-25, in the 2025 PVL Reinforced Conference on Thursday night at the Playtime FilOil Centre.
Nxled stunned Creamline in the opening set with aggressive serving, quick transitions, and solid floor defense that kept the Cool Smashers on their heels. Import Paola Martinez led the early charge with her attacking prowess, while Chiara Permentilla and Lyann De Guzman provided steady support from the wings.
Martinez once again paced the Chameleons with 18 points, while Permentilla chipped in 14. De Guzman turned in a strong all-around performance with nine points, nine excellent receptions, and 11 digs to anchor the team’s floor coverage. Setter Jaja Maraguinot orchestrated Nxled’s offense with 22 excellent sets on top of five points.
Despite the promising start, the Chameleons struggled to maintain consistency in the next three frames as Creamline tightened its defense and gained its rhythm on offense. Nxled continued to fight back in spurts, trimming a double-digit deficit to five in the fourth set behind Martinez and Maraguinot, but errors in the endgame prevented a comeback.
The defeat marked Nxled’s sixth straight loss, formally eliminating the team from quarterfinal contention. The Chameleons, however, aim to close their campaign on a strong note as they continue to build cohesion and confidence heading into their next outing.
Nxled returns to action on Thursday, November 13, at 4 p.m. against sister team Akari Chargers at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
