Nxled did everything it could control on Sunday, September 6. Now the Chameleons have to sit back and watch the scoreboard.

The Chameleons needed a win to stay alive in the PVL Invitational — and they got one, outlasting a scrappy Farm Fresh squad 25-20, 25-21, 18-25, 25-22 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The victory closed out Nxled’s elimination-round campaign at 3-2. But it didn’t guarantee a spot in Tuesday’s championship match.

Phillips, Cayuna Lead Nxled’s Middle Assault

Middle blocker MJ Phillips was the driving force behind the win. She finished with 25 points, built on two blocks and four aces, earning Player of the Game honors.

Phillips attacked repeatedly through the middle to blunt Farm Fresh’s fourth-set rally. She credited her team’s composure for the bounce-back after Nxled dropped the third set.

“We just had to stay patient. A lot of times we started to get a little uptight, so I kept reminding the girls to just stay patient and just keep going, ’cause trust our skills,” she said.

Phillips found instant chemistry with newly acquired setter Gel Cayuna, a former Cignal standout now running Nxled’s offense. Cayuna outdueled Farm Fresh counterpart Alohi Robins-Hardy in the playmaking battle.

Cayuna finished with 22 excellent sets and six points. Robins-Hardy managed 19 sets and three points.

Jackie Acuña added another layer to Nxled’s frontcourt attack, tallying 12 points on slides and quick plays. She and Phillips kept Farm Fresh’s blockers guessing all match long.

That middle pressure opened lanes on the wings, where Jonah Escamillan and Myla Pablo chipped in 11 and 10 points, respectively.

Nxled’s Finals Bid Now Hinges on PVL Tiebreak Scenarios

Winning was only half the battle for Nxled. The Chameleons’ championship fate now rests on two matches they had no part in.

EST Cola faces Ho Chi Minh later Sunday, followed by Creamline against PLDT. Both results will determine whether Nxled’s season continues.

A clean sweep for EST Cola and Creamline would settle things quickly. Nxled and PLDT would be eliminated, setting up a Thais-Cool Smashers rematch on Tuesday.

Any other outcome could throw the standings into chaos. Upsets in both matches could leave as many as four teams tied at 3-2.

That scenario would send the tournament into FIVB tiebreaking rules, where set and point ratios would carry as much weight as wins and losses.

Despite the uncertainty, Phillips insisted Nxled will keep fighting no matter how the numbers fall. “We’re just never gonna give up, and we’re gonna keep fighting until the end,” she said.

EJ Cariño closed out the win over Farm Fresh with a block touch off Mylene Rezanova. Trisha Tubu led the Foxies with 20 points in the losing effort.

Farm Fresh finished the elimination round with a 1-4 record. The Foxies had opened the tournament with a four-set win over Ho Chi Minh before dropping four straight.