ALAS Pilipinas had to endure a dismal end to its 2026 AVC Women's Cup campaign after absorbing a 21-25, 12-25, 21-25 defeat to Iran in the battle for seventh place on Sunday at the Candon City Arena.
The loss consigned the Nationals to their worst finish in the tournament since joining the competition in 2023.
READ: Alas Women crash out of AVC Women's Cup in loss to Chinese-Taipei
After placing seventh in their debut, the Philippines steadily climbed to the podium with a bronze medal in 2024 then a historic silver in 2025 before suffering a dramatic fall this year on home soil.
Alyssa Solomon once again emerged as the Filipinos' most reliable scorer, finishing with 12 points on 11 attacks and an ace.
Veteran wing spiker Jovelyn Gonzaga chipped in six points, while middle blocker Niña Ytang added five. Team captain Alyssa Valdez was limited to just four markers, as the Iranian defense repeatedly neutralized Alas' attacking options.
What now for Alas?
The result capped a turbulent tournament for a national team that never enjoyed stability from the outset.
Amid leadership turmoil within Philippine volleyball, a string of player withdrawals forced the coaching staff to assemble a roster on short notice.
The final lineup featured an uneven mix of seasoned veterans and relative newcomers, creating a team that often looked like it was still searching for chemistry while competing against the region's elite.
The Nationals showed flashes of promise through victories over Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan, but losses to Australia, Korea, Chinese-Taipei, and Iran ultimately exposed the growing pains of a squad put together under difficult circumstances.
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