ALAS Pilipinas did not leave its silver-medal fate to chance.
They made sure of it.
The Philippines secured silver in Leg 2 of the 6th SEA V.Cup after coming out on top of Indonesia, 25-13, 23-25, 25-19, 33-31, on Sunday for its best finish in the tournament’s seven-year, 11-leg history.
READ: Alas Pilipinas solves Vietnam riddle with huge SEA V.Cup upset
Alas needed no other result to go their way, controlling their own destiny while gaining a measure of revenge against Indonesia, which beat them for bronze in Leg 1.
Alyssa Solomon led Alas Women with 19 points, all on attacks, while Bella Belen and Eya Laure, who fought through pain on her right wrist late in the match, added 17 markers each. Dell Palomata chipped in nine points, including six of the Philippines’ 15 blocks.
The victory gave Alas Women their best SEA V.Cup finish yet and a measure of revenge against the Indonesians who twice denied them the podium.
The silver finally lifts the Filipinas beyond its previous ceiling in the regional tournament after six bronze-medal finishes and four fourth-place runs, including their fourth-place finish in the opening leg in Hanoi last week.
Alas completed a stirring turnaround in the second leg after opening with a loss to Thailand, snapping a 15-match losing streak to Vietnam, and then settling the score with Indonesia to close out their best SEA V.Cup campaign yet.
More than a maiden silver, the result gives the Philippines a timely shot of confidence, with its sights now turning to a much bigger continental challenge in the Asian Games next month.
Alas on attack mode
The Philippines came out firing, turning an 11-10 deficit into a 22-11 lead with a blistering 12-0 run before closing Set 1 on a 15-2 tear. Seven blocks, including three from Dell Palomata, and eight Indonesian errors fueled the rout, with Alas Women committing just two miscues.
Indonesia answered by taking Set 2, but the Philippines regained control in the third as the errors piled up.
But the fourth frame was a different story. From 22-24, Indonesia had seven set points and the two sides battled through eight deadlocks before Alas Women finally broke through.
An attack error by Ersandrina Devega Salsabila handed the Philippines its third match point and, ultimately, the silver medal.
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