PVL: Nxled fends off Ho Chi Minh City to stay in race to final

Nxled Chameleons’ Jonah Sabete-Escamillan rises for a hit during a game vs Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City in the PVL Invitational Conference. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines — Nxled turned back Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City, 25-20, 31-33, 25-17, 25-22, to stay in finals contention in the PVL Invitational Conference on Friday at Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Jonah Sabete-Escamillan continued to display 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.

Gel Cayuna dished out 35 excellent sets, as EJ Laure-Cariño had 16 points and 24 excellent receptions, while Jackie Acuña added 12, as Nxled tied PLDT at 2-2.

Nxled, which battles Farm Fresh on Sunday at 1:30 p.m., holds the tie-break advantage with seven points ahead of PLDT’s six.

Hours after a five-set meltdown to EST Cola on Thursday night when they blew a 20-12 lead in the fourth set, the Chameleons squandered another big lead against the Vietnamese, who erased their 19-10 margin and cut it down to one, 22-21, after Dang Thi Kim Thanh’s kill.

Nxled Chameleons during a game vs Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City in the PVL Invitational Conference. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

Phillips and Escamillan refused to suffer the same heartbreak, closing out the game with three points including two quick attacks from the former.

“We love to fight because the last game was a five set and it was only a few hours ago. It was really tough and we wanted immediately to show that we never back down, we are not broken, we will never be broken after a losing match and we are ready to fight,” said Nxled coach Ettore Guidetti.

“Obviously, there are bad things and good things. The good thing is this one: we never give up. The bad thing is that we are developing the side out, but we can do even better because sometimes, I joke about this, our side out is kind of bipolar or we play like a super great team or we get scared and under pressure and nothing works, and so it’s a part of the mental game that we have to really develop.”

Dang led the Vietnamese with 15 points and 15 digs. The 16-year-old Ho Thi Bich Diep had 13 points, while Dao Thi Nhung added 11.

Ho Chi Minh bombed out of finals contention with a 1-3 record.