ALAS Pilipinas Beach Women’s Asian Games campaign took two sharply different turns on Wednesday.
Sofiah Pagara and Khy Progella punched their ticket to the women’s semifinals with a stunning upset of Japan’s top-ranked sisters Non and Ren Matsumoto, while Sisi Rondina and Bernadeth Pons saw their Asiad debut end in a painful quarterfinal collapse.
READ: Alas Men to face Indonesia in Asiad classification stage opener
Pagara and Progella showed little fear against the highest-ranked pair, weathering two extended sets to pull off a 24-22, 22-20 victory and book their place in the Final Four.
The young Alas duo kept their poise when both sets were extended late, denying the Japanese duo the chance to force a decider and delivering the biggest win of their campaign yet.
Rondina and Pons, meanwhile, were within sight of another victory over a familiar Thai pair before the momentum slipped away at the worst possible time.
The Filipinas, who defeated Worapeerachayakorn Kongphopsarutawadee and Taravadee Naraphornrapat for their historic SEA Games gold medal last December, took the fight to their regional rivals again.
But with the deciding set reduced to a race to 15, Rondina and Pons held a 13-11 advantage before the Thais ripped off four straight points to steal the quarterfinal, 17-21, 21-12, 15-13.
The loss brought an end to Rondina and Pons’ first Asian Games campaign, leaving Pagara and Progella as the Philippines’ lone remaining women’s beach volleyball bets.
And waiting in the semifinals on Thursday will be a familiar challenge.
Pagara and Progella will face the same Thai duo that ended the run of their veteran compatriots, with a spot in the Asiad final on the line.
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