Chameleons stifle Highrisers to secure back-to-back On Tour wins

Nxled continued its impressive run in the 2026 Premier Volleyball League (PVL) On Tour Showdown after defeating Galeries Tower in straight sets, 25-23, 25-23, 25-20, on Saturday at the Polomolok Gymnasium in South Cotabato.

The Chameleons survived multiple comeback attempts from the Highrisers in the opening two sets before taking control in the third frame to complete the sweep and improve to 2-1 in the preseason tournament.

Nxled faced another close battle in the final set after Galeries Tower trimmed the deficit to one point, 17-16, following Jean Asis' block on Jovelyn Fernandez.

Fernandez responded immediately with a powerful kill that sparked a 5-0 run for the Chameleons, allowing them to build a 22-16 cushion.

The Highrisers continued to fight as Julia Coronel and Jade Gentapa combined for a 3-0 run to cut the lead to 22-19, but Aduke Ogunsanya stopped the rally with a timely attack. Gentapa's error then gave Nxled match point.

Gentapa extended the contest briefly with a down-the-line hit, but Myla Pablo sealed the victory with the finishing attack after one hour and 38 minutes.

Nxled head coach Ettore Guidetti credited his players for staying composed against a Galeries Tower team known for its strong serving and blocking.

“Well, I think we played a good game altogether. The players showed their real value, and against teams like Galeries, which have a very good serve and a very good block, we know we’ve got to fight,” said Guidetti.

“We are simply trying to take away the little mistakes and show some little coverage, and I think we played really good,” he added.

Pablo led Nxled’s balanced offense with 14 points, while Chiara Cariño and MJ Phillips contributed nine points apiece.

Gel Cayuna continued developing chemistry with her new teammates, producing 16 excellent sets while adding four points. Rookie libero Irah Jaboneta provided defensive support with 12 excellent receptions and six excellent digs.

Nxled, which has the most assignments in the PVL On Tour with four matches, will wrap up its preseason campaign against Farm Fresh on Aug. 15 in Lanao del Norte.

Galeries Tower dropped to 1-1 despite Erika Deloria’s strong performance. The Highrisers’ top scorer finished with 13 points, 16 excellent receptions, and seven excellent digs. Asis added 11 points, while Coronel recorded 19 excellent sets and two points.

Galeries Tower will play its final preseason match against Creamline on Aug. 22 in Victorias, Negros Occidental.