ALAS Pilipinas Women will have to settle for a shot at seventh place in the 2026 AVC Women's Cup.
The Philippines was relegated to the battle for seventh in the classification phase after Australia's four-set victory over Uzbekistan on Friday.
READ: No AVC Women's Cup podium return for this version of Alas
The result secured the Aussies a 3-2 (win-loss) record in Pool A, enough to edge out the hosts, which finished pool play at 2-3.
Instead of competing for a medal, Alas will now take on Iran on Sunday at 9:30 a.m. at the Candon City Arena.
The Nationals entered the tournament carrying momentum from back-to-back podium finishes, including a bronze medal in 2024 and a silver-medal breakthrough in 2025.
Now, they find themselves playing for pride, as they always do, after an up-and-down campaign marked by victories over Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan but costly defeats to Australia, Korea and Chinese-Taipei.
Recent history with Iran
Waiting for them is a familiar foe as Iran handed the Philippines its lone loss during last year's pool stage, prevailing in a five-set thriller that briefly threatened Alas' momentum before the Nationals eventually regrouped and marched all the way to the silver medal.
The Philippines eventually exacted indirect revenge later in that same tournament.
In one of the biggest surprises of the competition, Alas swept Kazakhstan in the classification rounds, a result that ultimately knocked Iran out of semifinal contention. The Iranians dropped to third place in Pool B and settled for sixth overall.
For Alas, it is one final opportunity to salvage something positive from a campaign that promised much more but ultimately fell short of expectations.
And for a team that saw its bid for a third straight podium finish come to an abrupt end, ending the tournament with a victory over a familiar rival would at least provide a measure of consolation.
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