ALAS Pilipinas bowed out of title contention in the 2024 AVC Challenge Cup for Men with a straight-sets loss to reigning runner-up and host country Bahrain, 18-25, 23-25, 20-25, to end pool play winless on Tuesday in Manama.
READ: Alas Pilipinas falls short in AVC men's debut against China
As such, Alas dropped to the classification round where they will first face the losing team in Pool C's final match between Qatar or Indonesia on Wednesday.
A win for the Philippines will send the nationals to the battle for 9th-place with a chance to improve on its top 10 finish last year. A loss, however, relegates them to the battle for 11th-place instead.
All-out Alas
National team mainstay Kim Malabunga posted eight points on six attacks and two blocks, as newly-minted UAAP Rookie of the Year and National University ace Jade Disquitado came alive in the two closing sets with seven markers of his own.
Alas' co-captains fronted the effort in the Filipinos' second straight defeat as Marck Espejo fired seven points built on five attacks, one block, and one ace, while Jau Umandal also had a seven-point outing on six attacks and one block.
Just as Alas was going toe-to-toe in Set 1 with Bahrain, ranked 12 places lower than the Philippines at No. 69, the hosts pulled away with a 7-1 run from 12-all to take the early advantage.
After escaping a closer call in the second frame, the Bahraini side locked up its quarterfinals spot in three sets despite an error-plagued finish which kept a struggling Alas side within striking distance.
Bahrain has now beaten the Philippines in back-to-back editions of the AVC Challenge Cup - both times, closely-contested sweeps - to advance with China to the top eight.
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