Eli Rousseaux dazzled in her PVL debut, tallying 38 points to lead Farm Fresh past Nxled, 22-25, 25-23, 25-19, 25-21, in the 2025 Reinforced Conference on Thursday at Dasmariñas Arena here.
Rousseaux poured in 31 kills, four aces, and three blocks on top of 15 excellent receptions and eight digs to give the Foxies a lift after dropping the first set.
In the fourth, the Chameleons threatened to force a decider after cutting the Foxies’ lead to 23-21. Alohi Robins-Hardy came to the rescue before Rousseaux nailed the game-winning block.
‘I was really happy to play my first game again after my injury in March so it’s a special moment for me. I’m really really happy that it went this way and it’s with this team,’ said the Belgian import, who played her first game since a gruesome ankle injury in the finals of Turkish pro league last March Trisha Tubu also stepped up with 10 points. Ces Molina finally made her debut for Farm Fresh after finding a new home last July, delivering nine points.
Robins-Hardy had 27 excellent sets on top of six points.
‘It’s not easy for us to start this conference against a good team. I was a little bit hard on them, and then they responded very well. It’s a good group with good character and personality and once they get going, they can play some volleyball,’ said Farm Fresh Italian coach Alessandro Lodi.
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‘We knew it could be difficult, and it was but we had to say that in the second part of the game we were dominant and so I can only be happy and thankful for what my team did today.’
Farm Fresh eyes its second win in Pool A against Cignal on Thursday next week at 1:30 p.m.
Nxled drew 18 points and 12 excellent receptions from Chiara Permentilla in the loss. Spanish import Paola Martinez had 15 points in her PVL debut.
Chameleons try to bounce back against Capital1 on Thursday at 4 p.m.