Capital1 star Bella Belen earns 1st PVL win; PLDT rolls to 15th straight win

MANILA, Philippines, October 17 ------ After an unconventional start to her PVL career, 2025 top overall pick Bella Belen finally has a pro league win in her bag as the Capital1 Solar Spikers downed the Nxled Chameleons in four sets, 25-20, 23-25, 27-25, 25-12, at the Araneta Coliseum.

The young UAAP legend out of National University tallied 15 points and 14 excellent digs to support Ukrainian import Sasha Bytsenko’s season-high 39-point explosion, as Capital1 got into the 2025 Reinforced Conference Pool A win column at 1-1. “For me, I’m just doing my role as a player…. The energy just comes out naturally,” Belen said in Filipino. “We worked hard for our points, and we knew we had a chance to win the game, so we needed to finish it well.” “The pressure will always be there. I still get nervous before every game, but with the support of my teammates and coaches, I’m able to do my role better in this team.” Spanish reinforcement Paola Martinez paced Nxled’s descent to a 0-2 card with 20 points, while captain Chiara Permentilla led the losing local cast with 18 markers.

Meanwhile, PLDT remained the top team to beat in the PVL in the Araneta triple-header nightcap after blasting fellow powerhouse Choco Mucho, 25-21, 25-20, 25-19, for a 2-0 start in the Reinforced tilt. Despite American import Marlee Smith finally suiting up and dropping 20 points for the Flying Titans, the High Speed Hitters still barged their way to a franchise-best-extending 15th straight win dating back to the first game of the PVL On Tour preseason. Savi Davison dominated the Fil-Canadian matchup against Kat Tolentino with a team-high 19 points, while the latter got soundly checked to just 2 points in three sets. Russian reinforcement Anastasiia Bavykina, in a supporting role, added 13 points.

Captain Kath Arado anchored the defense with 17 excellent digs, while fellow veteran Kim Fajardo took care of the offense as always with 16 excellent sets. After Smith’s 20-point effort, no Choco Mucho local even came close in the scoring tally as Cherry Nunag, Isa Molde, and Aduke Ogunsanya each scored a measly 4 points. Finally, in the day’s curtain-raiser, the Farm Fresh Foxies rolled to a statement win after crushing the shorthanded Cignal Super Spikers, 25-19, 25-20, 25-16, thanks to a game-high 21-point eruption by star opposite Trisha Tubu. Belgian import Eli Rousseaux followed up a stellar 38-point debut with a respectable 17 points for the 2-0 Foxies, while Greek reinforcement Eva Chantava paced Cignal’s slide to a 0-2 slate with 13 points.

Source: rappler.com