Farm Fresh made a rousing return to the Premier Volleyball League stage, toppling Nxled in four sets, 22-25, 25-23, 25-19, 25-21, to open its Pool A campaign in the PVL Reinforced Conference on Thursday (October 9) night at the Dasmariñas Arena.

Belgian outside hitter Eli Rousseaux delivered a spectacular 38-point debut to lead the Foxies, who recovered from a first-set slip to secure the statement win in one hour and 52 minutes. The 6-foot-2 national team member scattered 35 attacks, three blocks, and added solid floor defense to set the tone for Farm Fresh’s strong conference start.

Rousseaux leads Farm Fresh surge

Down by a set, Farm Fresh steadied in the second frame, with Rousseaux drilling clutch hits to level the match. She kept the offense flowing in the third set, as the Foxies pulled away behind their attack advantage, 18-9, to seize control.

In the fourth set, Rousseaux broke a tight midgame with her 36th point for a 17-13 lead before locals Trisha Tubu and Ces Molina closed out the match with timely hits. Alohi Robins-Hardy’s 1-2 play and Rousseaux’s block on Nxled’s Paola Martinez sealed the comeback.

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Tubu added 10 points, Molina chipped in nine, and Robins-Hardy contributed six. Farm Fresh dominated in attacks, 58-40, to offset 37 unforced errors.

Nxled fades after strong start

Nxled looked poised for an upset after stealing the opening set through the efforts of Chiara Permentilla and Martinez, who combined for clutch hits down the stretch. Permentilla led the rally with four straight points and an ace, while Martinez delivered the last two hits for the set win.

Permentilla finished with 18 points, while Martinez had 15, but the Chameleons faltered in execution in the final two frames. Service errors and missed opportunities allowed the Foxies to dictate the tempo and complete the turnaround.

Farm Fresh opted out of the Invitational Conference earlier this year due to lack of readiness, but their opening-night performance signaled a more competitive run in the country’s top league organized by Sports Vision. The Foxies, now in their third PVL season, appear to have found the balance between international firepower and local support.