Filipino spikers post first win in SEA Games 2023, eye 5th place vs Singapore
SEA GAMES PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines—Jade Disquitado came to the rescue in the fifth set to deliver the Philippine men’s volleyball team’s first win in the 32nd Southeast Asian Games in the classification stage in the classification stage on Sunday at Indoor Olympic Stadium in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
Disquitado took matters into his own hands, scoring six points in the fifth set as the Philippines survived a gritty Malaysian side, 25-19, 20-25, 25-21, 24-26, 17-15.
The victory put the Filipino spikers in the battle for fifth against Singapore on Monday.
Rwenzmel Taguibolos nailed a quick attack to give the Philippines a 13-11 lead in the decider but the Malaysians scored back-to-back as Shon Ngiap Shyang tied the match at 13-all. Jay Rack De la Noche put the Filipinos at match point, 14-13 before Shon forced a deuce.
The 18-year-old Disquitado nailed two consecutive spikes that put the Philippines at match point twice before Shon’s attack error ended the three-game skid of the former.
The Nationals try to match its previous fifth-place finish last year against Singapore, which sent the Filipinos to a 0-3 record in Group A on Saturday.
Filipino-American opposite spiker Steve Rotter also stepped up for the Filipinos in scoring as he also delivered the crucial points in the fifth.
Shon powered the Malaysians, who will be relegated in the battle for seventh place against the winless Myanmar, which lost to Singapore, 23-25,25-27, 22-25, earlier.
