LOOKING to stretch their unbeaten run to six games and clinch a semifinal spot, the Nxled Chameleons face the Akari Chargers in the PVL All-Filipino Conference Siklab Series at the Araneta Coliseum on Thursday.
The league-leading Nxled (5-0) takes on the sixth seed Akari (3-3) at 1 p.m., raising the curtain of a triple-header.
Spikers’ Turf Invitational Conference action between the FEU-DN Steel Tamaraws and the AFP Cavaliers follows at 3:30 p.m.
The defending champs and second-running Creamline Cool Smashers (4-1) clash against the fourth seed Choco Mucho Flying Titans (3-3) at 6 p.m. to complete the card.
Nxled swept Capital 1, 25-13, 25-20, 25-18, last Saturday to stay undefeated and moved on the cusp of a semis berth.
Chameleons head coach Guidetti Ettore braces for a Chargers side determined to keep themselves in the thick of the Final Four spot hunt.
“I really hope that the next game will not be as tough for us because it’s really difficult to plan,” said Ettore.
“Like I said last time, the opponents are really high level, and especially Akari. We had a better experience last season; they stomped us. It’s a big red flag or warning for us.”
Led by acting head coach Eddieson Orcullo, Akari outlasted Choco Mucho in five sets, 25-19, 22-25, 25-21, 19-25, 16-14, last Saturday, serving an additional warning for Nxled.
Ettore likes what he’s seeing from the Chameleons’ practices lately, though.
“I really hope so, but I would be surprised if this didn’t happen because when we practice, we practice in the same way that we play, and we are practicing really good right now,” shared Ettore.
“I really think a lot of the developments belong to the way they are aggressively competing, but not in a bad way. Sometimes we fight really, really tough, but it’s always a very fair one.”
Fil-Am spiker Brooke Van Sickle is expected to lead Nxled anew while Eli Soyud looks to do the same for Akari.
