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As with the rest of Nxled, Lyann De Guzman showed major flashes of potential in the PVL on Tour.
Lyann De Guzman finally has one Premier Volleyball League conference under her belt with the Nxled Chameleons.
De Guzman’s rookie conference came to a close on Saturday, August 9, as the Chameleons were swept by the Chery Tiggo Crossovers 17-25, 15-25, 20-25 in the PVL on Tour knockout quarterfinals at the Philsports Arena.
While it wasn’t the ending they hoped for, De Guzman is nonetheless proud of Nxled’s run throughout the conference, where they even booked a direct entry into the quarterfinals.
“Siyempre for me, very proud ako sa team namin kasi nakita naman natin lahat na grabe lahat binigay talaga para makakabot kami dito. And for me, sobrang successful itong preseason namin,” De Guzman said in her exit interview.
“Progress lang ito, like one at a time, and maabot din namin ‘yung gusto namin, which is ‘yung championship. But ito, syempre, very big achievement na sa amin na makaabot sa quarterfinals, and I’m very happy.”
The fourth-overall pick in the 2025 PVL Rookie Draft, De Guzman quickly proved her mettle for the Chameleons, putting up a pair of back-to-back 20-point games to open their PVL on Tour campaign last June 28 to 29 in Batangas City.
Crucial to De Guzman’s seamless adjustment, she said, is being led by veteran teammates who are accustomed to the professional level of play.
“Syempre, iba na dito lahat, beterano na, they know how to play, they play really smart,” said De Guzman, with Nxled featuring the likes of EJ Laure-Cariño, Chiara Permentilla, and Jaja Maraguinot, to name a few.
“Everyone really knows how to play, how to step up talaga big time, and nakita naman natin kanina na pag may pinasok si coach, tutulong talaga.”
Trust earned, choice validated
Nxled mentor Ettore Guidetti is proud of Lyann De Guzman’s first tour of duty, seeing it as a sign of great things to come for the ex-Ateneo skipper.
Guidetti has long been one of De Guzman’s biggest supporters, even admitting that he would have still selected her if Nxled was lucky to get the first-overall pick in the 2025 PVL Rookie Draft.
“She’s not just an amazing player, she is also an amazing person. And she is probably one girl that [I want to stay] in Nxled for as long as [possible]. So I am really happy she is with us, the same as I am really happy with any other player that is with us,” Guidetti said of De Guzman.
De Guzman sees Guidetti’s trust as a major confidence boost, given that such a high-level coach has placed their belief in her.
“Isang opportunity din for me na sobrang laki ng tiwala sa akin, and siyempre mabu-boost din ‘yung confidence ko noon. And ‘yung willingness ko na matuto sa kanya, kasi nakikita ko na nagi-improve ako sa kanya, day by day talaga, as in,” she said.
Now headed into her first PVL offseason, De Guzman knows that having the right mindset will be crucial to overcoming the various hurdles of being a pro volleyball player. Along with her growth as a professional, that same mindset will be just as important in Nxled’s attempt to establish a winning culture.
“Kahit sino pang team ‘yan, pag ginawa talaga ‘yung 100 percent nila, kaya nilang manalo, and ‘yun kailangan lang talaga namin maging stable at maging consistent, kasi alam na namin kung ano ‘yung pinaka-limit namin eh, and kung ano‘yung kailangan i-work on as a team.”
Images courtesy of the Premier Volleyball League.