Alas women fall short in gallant stand vs Aussies
Games Monday
(Candon City Arena)
9 a.m. - Lebanon vs Hong Kong
12 p.m. - Kazakhstan vs Iran
3 p.m. - Alas Pilipinas vs Kyrgyzstan
6 p.m. - Vietnam vs Indonesia
9 p.m. - Chinese Taipei vs Australia
CANDON CITY, Ilocos Sur — Progress, not perfection.
That was how Alas Pilipinas saw its heartbreaking 25-22, 23-25, 18-25, 25-15, 15-11 defeat to Australia Sunday in the AVC Volleyball Cup under the sudden downpour that blanketed the Candon City Arena here.
Alyssa Solomon was finally unleashed on this one after sitting it out in the Filipinas’ 25-16, 25-14, 25-12 rout of the Uzbeks the day before. And she immediately made an impact by pouring in a match-high 23 points off the bench.
But it wasn’t enough to help prevent the Nationals from falling to the team from Down Under and skidding to their first defeat in two starts in this meet presented by the Philippine Sports Commission, FIVB, AVC, Volleyball World and Candon City headed by Mayor Eric Singson.
“I’m still proud of what happened because we learned a lot in this game and we have a chance to improve more because this team has only been together for a few weeks,” said the 24-year-old Solomon, who spent last year playing for the Osaka Marvelous in Japan.
Alas rookie Nina Ytang remained impressive, scattering 13 points, including three service aces, while another Alyssa — team captain Valdez — chipped in 11 markers, including critical ones in the deciding set that helped them knot it at 7-7.
But it proved to be the Filipinas’ last as the Aussies took charge from there, while the former fell in a maze of errors, including what turned out to be the most painful one — a net touch by Royse Tubino, that sealed their doom.
“We had so many lapses in terms of small and free balls that we seldom get in this kind of tournament,” said Valdez. “We hope to polish and correct it in our next training.”
Solomon made her presence felt as soon as she was inserted, albeit briefly, in the opening set where Alas fought back from a big deficit, seized a 19-18 lead only to falter in the end.
But Solomon was fully unchained in the next set where the host nation prevailed and gained momentum it used to build enough cushion to weather an Aussie storm late in the third set to go two to one set up.
It was all Australia in the fourth frame and early in the final set before Valdez took charge to help the country catch up aty 7-all.
It turned out to be the last.
Alas will have a chance to bounce back as it clashes with Kyrgyzstan at 3 p.m. Monday.
Earlier, reigning titlist Vietnam overpowered Hong Kong, 25-9, 25-18, 25-11, to stay unbeaten in Pool B with two triumphs, while Chinese Taipei smothered Kyrgyzstan, 25-14, 25-11, 25-17, for its first victory in Pool A.
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