Alas Pilipinas Men secured their second straight bronze medal in the Southeast Asia V.League with a dramatic come-from-behind victory over Vietnam, 27-25, 14-25, 22-25, 25-21, 15-12, in a thrilling match on Sunday at the UNY Sports Complex in Yogyakarta, Indonesia.
The Philippines, fresh off a third-place finish in the first leg of the 2024 season held at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium in Manila last week, continued to show their resilience and fighting spirit.
In the decisive set, the dynamic trio of Michaelo Buddin, Jade Disquitado, and Louie Ramirez stepped up when it mattered most, delivering a series of clutch plays to secure the victory for the team. Buddin's performance in the early moments of the set helped the Philippines level the score with Vietnam, while Ramirez and Disquitado took charge down the stretch to close out the match.
Holding a slim 12-11 lead in the final set, Ramirez fired a crucial through-the-block hit, and Disquitado followed up with a precise off-the-block attack to bring up match point. Even though Vietnam managed to get one point back, Disquitado sealed the game with a powerful spike that brushed off the fingers of the Vietnamese blockers, clinching the win and the bronze medal for the Philippines.
Buddin was the standout performer for Alas Pilipinas, tallying 24 points with an impressive 22-of-35 success rate in his spikes. Ramirez added valuable support with 19 points, while Disquitado chipped in 16. Kim Malabunga also contributed 11 points, and EJ Casaña provided a steady hand as the starting setter.
The Nationals ended the leg with a 1-2 record, identical to their results in the first leg. This showing marks a significant turnaround for the team, which struggled throughout the 2023 edition, finishing without a win in both legs.
Vietnam finished in fourth place for the second consecutive leg, going winless with a 0-4 record. Thailand and Indonesia were set to compete for the gold medal later in the day.
Despite a remarkable 29-point performance by Pham Van Hiep, Vietnam's efforts fell short. Nguyen Ngoc Thuan and Tran Duy Tuyen also made solid contributions with 18 and 14 points, respectively, but their efforts were not enough to overcome the determined Filipino side.
