DASMARINAS, Cavite – Farm Fresh showed the power of preparation and promise of potential in the opening salvo of the PVL Reinforced Conference, stunning the Nxled Chameleons with a gritty 22-25, 25-23, 25-19, 25-21 victory at the Dasmariñas Arena Thursday night here.

In a performance that showcased both maturity and momentum, the Foxies rebounded from a shaky opening set with poise and precision, sweeping the next three frames to kick off their Pool A campaign on a high note. After previously opting out of the Invitational Conference – citing lack of readiness – the Foxies made it clear: this time, they’re not just here to play. They’re here to contend.

Leading the charge was none other than Belgian sensation Eli Rousseaux, whose PVL debut was nothing short of explosive. The 6-foot-2 outside hitter torched the Chameleons with a 38-point masterpiece – an early candidate for performance of the conference – that turned heads and set the bar high for fellow imports.

A member of Belgium’s national team, Rousseaux unleashed a dazzling offensive arsenal, mixing thunderous spikes with clever off-speed shots and pinpoint crosscourt hits. Her presence at the net wasn’t just felt in scoring – she anchored the Foxies’ defense with three blocks and provided stability in the back row when needed.

Twenty-two of her 38 markers came in the first two sets alone, a testament to the Farm Fresh import’s potent offensive arsenal, helping Farm Fresh shake off a sluggish start and seize momentum.

After delivering her 36th point to give Farm Fresh a 17–13 cushion in the fourth set, local standouts took over to seal the win. Trisha Tubu scored on back-to-back hits, Ces Molina unleashed a crosscourt attack, and Tubu followed up with another clean strike.

But the Foxies couldn’t pull away for good, as the Chameleons clawed back to stay within striking distance at 18–21, thanks in part to two costly service errors by Farm Fresh.

Molina responded with a sharp down-the-line hit, which Chiara Permentilla answered with one of her own. Rousseaux then stepped in with another powerful attack. After the Chameleons scored in the next rally and Rousseaux misfired on an attempt – bringing the score to a tight 23-21 – Alohi Robins-Hardy executed a clever 1-2 play. Rousseaux then sealed the deal with a crucial block on counterpart Paola Martinez, capping her explosive debut and securing the Foxies’ comeback win in one-hour and 52 minutes.

“I feel really good – but tired,” said Rousseaux, whose performance drew comparisons to Marina Tushova’s 45-point outing for Capital1 against Choco Mucho last year.

“We were a bit nervous at first and made some mistakes, but the play got better as the match went on,” she added.

With her blistering start, expectations are naturally high – but Rousseaux was quick to temper the hype.

“We’ll try to win as many games as we can,” she said. “But the other teams also have players who play really well.”

More than just the numbers, it was Rousseaux’s composure in high-pressure moments that made the biggest impact. In a tight Set 2 endgame, she delivered key points with surgical precision, rallying her team and deflating Nxled’s resolve. Once the Foxies found their rhythm, they dictated the pace, dominating the third set and outlasting the Chameleons in the fourth.

Her commanding presence seems to have energized Farm Fresh’s local core as well, as the team displayed depth, defensive tenacity and improved decision-making – traits that were often missing in previous campaigns. Now on their third year in the country’s premier volleyball league organized by Sports Vision, the Foxies appear to have finally found the right blend of international firepower and homegrown grit.

Though their win didn’t quite match Petro Gazz’s earlier sweep of Galeries Tower in Pool B, Farm Fresh nonetheless sent a strong message to the rest of the field: this team is no longer in the shadows. With Rousseaux at the forefront and a hungry supporting cast behind her, the Foxies have the tools – and the mindset – to mount a serious title run in the conference backed by ICTSI, Mikasa, Milcu and Fabriano.

Tubu finished with 10 points, while Molina contributed nine and Robins-Hardy added six in a dominant performance. Farm Fresh overwhelmed Nxled in attacks, 58-40, more than making up for the 37 free points they gave away, compared to the Chameleons’ 28 unforced errors.

Martinez paced Nxled with 15 points, getting an early edge over Rousseaux but failing to sustain her momentum. Permentilla also impressed with 18 points, showcasing grit and determination, but it wasn’t enough to match the explosive performance of Farm Fresh’s import.

Trailing for most of the opening set, the Chameleons staged a dramatic rally behind the clutch plays of Permentilla and the finishing prowess of Martinez to steal a thrilling come-from-behind set win.

Permentilla ignited the Chameleons’ comeback with four straight points, propelling them to a 22-20 lead, then delivered a timely service ace to extend the margin to three. Martinez then took over in crunch time, delivering the final two points, highlighted by a through-the-block hit that split two defenders and capped off the stirring turnaround.

The Foxies had raced to a commanding 6-1 start and maintained control through the middle of the set. But just as they seemed poised to close it out, Permentilla’s inspired play shifted the momentum. The Foxies clawed back to within two, 22-24, thanks to a pair of Nxled errors, but failed to complete their own rally in a chaotic exchange of hits and digs in the closing moments.

Nxled setter Janel Maraguinot provided the finishing touch, deftly flipping a backset to Martinez, who hammered home the set-clinching hit to seal the stunning reversal.

The Chameleons’ gritty fightback spoiled a blistering start from Rousseaux, whose early display of spiking power and jump-serving brilliance had helped the Foxies seize early control of the match.

But the Foxies regrouped in Set 2, holding their nerve in the endgame of another tightly contested set to level the match. They capped the win with a backrow attack from Rousseaux that punctuated a frenetic rally filled with rapid-fire exchanges and gritty digs, pushing Farm Fresh to set point at 24-22.

Though Molina’s consecutive service errors briefly kept the Chameleons in the hunt, Rousseaux – eager to bounce back after a tough opening set – delivered on her second attempt to seal the set for the Foxies.

Farm Fresh dominated Nxled in attacks, 18-9, but failed to fully capitalize on that edge, committing six service errors that allowed the Chameleons to stay within striking distance. Nxled also handed over a free point at the start of the set due to a uniform infraction, yet still managed to make it another nail-biter.