Alas Pilipinas Girls secured the bronze medal in the 22nd Princess Cup SEA U18 Women’s Volleyball Championship, defeating the taller Australian team in straight sets, 25-13, 25-21, 25-20, on Thursday afternoon at the Nakhon Pathom Gymnasium in Thailand.
This victory serves as a strong prelude for the Akari-backed Filipinas, who are now setting their sights on the 15th Asian Women’s U18 Volleyball Championship, to be held at the same venue from June 16 to 23.
The Philippines had already proven their mettle against Australia in the preliminary round last Tuesday, with a solid win of 25-16, 25-23, 21-25, 25-19.
Team captain Harlyn Serneche, who excelled in the prelims against Australia with 18 points, was once again instrumental in leading Alas to the podium finish.
A critical down-the-line kill by Rosie Alchin tied the third frame at 20, but the Philippines responded with a flurry of points.
This run was initiated by an attack error from Australian opposite hitter Caitlin Clarke and bolstered by a solid block from Maile Salang.
Further errors from the Australians were capitalized upon, and Kimberly Rubin sealed the win with back-to-back points, securing the victory and the bronze medal for Alas.
The first set was dominated by the Nationals, but the second set saw a rejuvenated Australian squad close the gap to just one point at 21-22.
However, Denesse Daylisan, Serneche, and Ashley Macalinao stepped up, delivering three consecutive points to give Alas a commanding 2-0 set lead.
Looking ahead to the upcoming tournament, the Philippines will face stiffer competition as they are grouped in Pool B alongside Japan and Iran.
The U18 Volleyball Championship will feature 13 countries divided into four pools, promising an exciting challenge for the Filipino squad.
Photo by SMM Volleyball
