Guest club EST Cola sweeps Nxled to take PVL Invitational crown

Thai club EST Cola blanked Nxled in a 25-22, 25-21, 25-19 win to reign supreme in the 2026 PVL Invitational on Tuesday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

No stranger to the Philippine volleyball scene after previous stints in both the PVL and the now-defunct PSL, EST Cola weathered late fightbacks from the Chameleons in the second and third sets to capture the preseason tournament title.

20-year-old lefty opposite spiker Papatchaya Phontham led the sweep for the Thais with 15 points while Nannaphat Moonjakham chipped in 11 markers and Nirarach Srikuta chimed in with seven.

Jonah Sabete-Escamillan led for Nxled in the losing effort after finishing with 11 points while Myla Pablo and Phillips posted 10 and nine markers apiece.

On the way to the title, EST Cola ended the preliminary round with a 4-1 card, only losing to PLDT in its opener, to enter the finals.

EST Cola carried the same dominance into the championship round against Nxled, with Nattharika Wasan delivering the final point of Set 1 with a soft running kill to seal the frame, 25-22.

EST Cola then raced to a 16-6 cushion in Set 2 before the Chameleons mounted a fightback, with MJ Phillips unleashing a service ace to cut the deficit to four, 15-19. Phillips followed it up with back-to-back points to bring Nxled within three, 21-24. But Phontham rose for another hammer from the right wing to give EST Cola a commanding 2-0 lead.

Nxled kept it close early in Set 3, but EST Cola pulled away late by unleashing a 6-1 closing rampage capped by another blow from Phontham.

—JMB, GMA News