High Speed Hitters, Chameleons stay in title mix

PLDT High Speed Hitters’ Savi Davison during a game vs Farm Fresh Foxies in the 2026 PVL Invitational. –PVL PHOTO

Nxled and PLDT kept their title hopes alive after winning crucial matches in the PVL Invitational Conference on Friday at Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Just hours removed from a five-set meltdown to Thailand’s EST Cola, the Chameleons bounced back with a thrilling 25-20, 31-33, 25-17, 25-22 win to eliminate Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City and force a tie at 2-2 with PLDT.

Savi Davison came to the rescue of the defending champion High Speed Hitters, firing 32 points in a 25-16, 25-22, 23-25, 25-20 victory over Farm Fresh that ousted the game Foxies from title contention.

Nxled, which battles Farm Fresh on Sunday at 1:30 p.m., holds the edge in the tiebreak with PLDT, 7-6, with the High Speed Hitters, with Thailand’s EST Cola, which has a 2-1 record with five points, facing unbeaten Creamline at press time. The Cool Smashers were eyeing a fourth straight win to clinch a finals berth.

“Well, honestly, we are really happy … that we are still in the running,” said Nxled coach Ettore Guidetti. “This (win) is super important for us to still have hope. This is something that is always giving you the possibility to fight again.

“And my team is made of fighters,” he went on, before likening his charges to a sophisticated supercar. “So this is simply the gasoline that my Ferrari needs to play another difficult match.”

Jonah Escamillan continued to dish out an all-around game with 18 points, 20 excellent receptions, and 15 digs. Myla Pablo also scored 18, highlighted by five blocks, while MJ Phillips chipped in 17 points for the Chameleons.

Nxled also got Gel Cayuna to dish out 35 excellent sets, as EJ Laure-Cariño had 16 points and 24 excellent receptions, while Jackie Acuña added 12.

“It’s whoever comes wanting it more. It’s really up in the air. I feel like anybody could win that game,” Davison said after the High Speed Hitters snapped a two-game losing streak. “So, it’s, you know, whoever wants it more.”

Davison’s output was made up of 28 kills and four blocks. She also had 14 excellent receptions and 10 digs as she and the rest of PLDT gear up for a giant clash with Creamline.

With their final slot chances at stake, the Filipino-Canadian spiker acknowledged the height advantage and the solid experience of Jaja Minowa, but stressed the importance of stopping Creamline, as a whole team, with Jema Galanza, Tots Carlos, Alyssa Valdez, Kyle Negrito, and Kyla Atienza also posing as big defensive concerns.

“She’s really tall and strong. But it’s just another person on the court for us,” Davison, who is no stranger to facing towering opposition, said. “Like, we can’t just focus on one person because they have a lot of talented players.”

“There’s so much talent on that team that you can’t really isolate one person like that,” she said. “It’s just an added talent, of course, but they’re all good.”