Alas Pilipinas ends SEA VLeague drought with bronze finish

Alas Pilipinas in the SEA VLeague Vietnam leg where it finished with the bronze medal. –PH VOLLEYBALL TWITTER

MANILA, Philippines — Alas Pilipinas’ resurgence continues as it captured the 2024 SEA VLeague first leg bronze with a thrilling 25-23, 15-25, 25-23, 25-21 victory over Indonesia that ended a five-year winning drought on Sunday in Vinh Phuc, Vietnam.

The Philippine women’s volleyball team, banking on the trio of Sisi Rondina, Eya Laure, and Alyssa Solomon, snapped an 11-game skid in the regional tournament. It ended up winless in the past three editions when the league reopened in 2022  after back-to-back third places in the first two legs of the inaugural staging in 2019.

A lackluster second set loss and shaky late third frame didn’t stop the Filipino Spikers from ending their winning drought and finally getting one against the Indonesians, who have been their tormentors in the past three SEA Games bronze medal matches as well as in the VLeague.

strong>READ: Alas Pilipinas podium finish ushers in new era for PH volleyball

Alas recovered from a 10-point beating in the second set and got its act together in the third with a 21-16 spread off Laure’s kill. However, Indonesia fought back with the help of their rivals’ two crucial service errors before Arsela Purnama tied the set with an off-the-block hit, 23- all.

Fifi Sharma came to the rescue, converting a quick attack off Jia De Guzman’s back set to reach set point, 24-23, followed by an attack error of Purnama to move to the verge of a podium finish with a 2-1 advantage.

Alas took full control of the fourth set with Laure and Solomon putting on the finishing touches to end the dry spell and avoid a winless stint following back-to-back losses to defending champion Thailand and finalist Indonesia.

It was Alas Pilipinas’ second bronze medal this year since its impressive debut with the new moniker in the AVC Challenge Cup under Brazilian coach Jorge Souza De Brito and the leadership of captain De Guzman.

RED: Missing players, reassigned roles hit Alas Pilipinas with reality check

Solomon, the Best Opposite Spiker of last year’s VLeague second leg, capped her national team comeback with 16 points off 14 attacks, one ace, and a block. Laure delivered eight kills, a game-high four blocks, and an ace to finish with 13 points, while Rondina also scored 13.

Thea Gagate also stepped up with 10 points including three blocks, while Sharma came off the bench with seven points with De Guzman running the plays and liberos Dawn Macandili-Catindig and Jen Nierva protecting the floor.

The last time the Philippines won a bronze and a match in the SEA VLeague was when Shaq Delos Santos was still the coach of the program, bannered by Kalei Mau, Alyssa Valdez, two-time league Best Middle Blocker Majoy Baron, Alohi Robins-Hardy, and Ces Molina, who are no longer part of the team.

READ: SEA VLeague: Alas Pillipinas takes beating from Thailand

The nationals blew an 18–16 lead in the opening frame as Megawati Pertiwi willed Indonesia back for a 23-21 advantage before Laure caught her with back-to-back rejections to tie the frame. Gagate brought the lead back to Alas with a quick attack, 24-23, followed by Bella Belen’s set-clinching ace.

However, the Indonesians were quick to fight back storming the second set with a 20-8 spread before the Filipinos gained a short momentum, saving four set points, 24-15, but Pertiwi ended the frame to tie the game to 1-1. 

Alas, armed with its fruitful experience from a two-week training camp in Japan, eyes another podium finish in the second leg in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand from August 9 to 11.

Indonesia ended up winless in the first leg, giving up 28 errors in the game despite the 22-point effort of Purnama.

Pertiwi had 18 points, while Ratri Wulandari and Wilda Nurfadhilah added 11 and 10 points, respectively.