Nxled secured a historic spot in the 2026 PVL Invitational Conference finals after Creamline fell to PLDT in a thrilling five-setter, ending the Cool Smashers’ bid for a championship showdown.
PLDT outlasted Creamline, 25-17, 23-25, 21-25, 25-23, 15-12, in the final game of the preliminary round Sunday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The result left both teams with identical 3-2 records, but it was enough to send Nxled into its first-ever PVL Finals appearance.
Creamline had opened the conference with a 3-0 record and was boosted by the arrival of former Japan SV.League standout Jaja Santiago-Minowa. However, losses to EST Cola and PLDT ended its hopes of returning to the championship round.
Nxled, meanwhile, finished the preliminary round with a 3-2 record and will face Thailand’s EST Cola in a winner-take-all championship match.
EST Cola earned the other finals berth after sweeping Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City, 25-19, 26-24, 26-24, to finish the preliminaries at 4-1.
The Nxled-EST Cola championship showdown is set for Tuesday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, with Nxled seeking its first PVL title.
Meanwhile, Creamline and PLDT will battle for the bronze medal, while Ho Chi Minh City and Farm Fresh will meet in the fifth-place match.
(Photo Courtesy: Premier Volleyball League)
