Meegan Hart only had a day with the Nxled Chameleons, but it was enough to outlast the Galeries Tower Highrisers in five sets of the PVL Reinforced Conference.
American import Meegan Hart proved to be a key acquisition for the Nxled Chameleons, leading them to a come-from-behind five-set win over the Galeries Tower Highrisers, 25-19, 22-25, 25-18, 25-27, 15-12, in the 2024 PVL Reinforced Conference opener at the PhilSports Arena on Tuesday, July 16th.
Hart, a last-minute replacement for the initially chosen Chinese import, tallied a dominant 19 points built on 12 attacks and a formidable seven blocks.
Both teams experienced last-minute import changes.
Nxled opted for Hart over Jiang Xuanyao, while Galeries Tower replaced Monique Helena with Thai veteran outside hitter Sutadta Chuawelin-Jarawat.
Despite trailing for most of the match, the Highrisers displayed composure, escaping the fourth set 27-25. The fifth set saw Galeries Tower take an early lead, but Mae Luna sparked a 4-0 run for Nxled, shifting the momentum.
A controversial red card issued to Galeries Tower for delaying the game further swung the advantage to the Chameleons. Nxled capitalized with Hart and Jai Atienza extending their lead to 12-9.
Although Galeries Tower clawed back, clutch points from Chiara Permentilla and Hart sealed the Chameleons' opening day win. Luna also chipped in with a valuable 17 points for Nxled.