Philippines bows to Vietnam in women’s volleyball, in must win vs Singapore

Philippine women’s volleyball team in the SEA Games 2023. –SMM VOLLEYBALL PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine women’s volleyball team was sent crashing back to earth by reigning silver medalist Vietnam, 20-25, 17-25, 19-25, absorbing its first defeat in Group B in the 32nd Southeast Asian Games on Wednesday at Indoor Olympic Stadium in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

Tran Thi Thanh Thuy remained to be a thorn in the side of  Philippines as she sparked the Vietnamese’s comeback in the first set and nailed the killer blows in the last two sets to keep her team unbeaten in two games to advance to the semifinal round.

Mylene Paat and Tots Carlos led the way for the Filipino Spikers, who took a 14-9 lead in the first set before Thuy ignited Vietnam’s run to tie the game.

Kat Tolentino stopped the bleeding with a back-row kill but nationals committed four consecutive errors that gave the Vietnamese a 23-20 lead before Thuy’s attack and Doan Thi Xuan’s set-clinching block stole the opening frame.

Thuy joined hands with Xuan and Nguyen Thi Trinh to dominate the second set and bring their momentum in the third with a 20-14 spread. The Philippines refused to give up as it scored four consecutive points including back-to-back blocks from Dell Palomata and Carlos to cut it down to 20-18.

MUST WIN VS SINGAPORE

Philippine women’s volleyball team in the SEA Games 2023. –SMM VOLLEYBALL PHOTO

Thuy drilled four of Vietnam’s last five points to seal their second win, joining Group A’s Thailand, which holds a 2-0 record, in the semifinals.

The Filipinos gun for the last semifinal berth in Group B when they take on Singapore on Thursday at 6 p.m.

National team coach Jorge Souza de Brito fielded a different set of starters with Tolentino and Celine Domingo having more playing time in this game, following a 25-5, 25-5, 25-5 rout of Cambodia last Tuesday.

Palomata and Jema Galanza, who shone in their first win less than 24 minutes ago, saw limited action.

Alyssa Valdez remained on the sidelines for the second straight game in the SEA Games. She hasn’t played a game since her right knee injury last December.

Setter Jia De Guzman celebrated her 28th birthday with a loss.