ALAS Pilipinas will once again cross paths with Chinese Taipei less than a month since their five-set classic in the 2025 AVC Nations Cup.
This time, the two Asian neighbors will square off in the bronze-medal match of the 2025 VTV Cup — still in Vietnam, just like their last meeting.
READ: Alas bound for VTV Cup battle for third after defeat to Korabelka
The Philippines missed out on a second-straight finals duel with Vietnam after yielding to defending champion Korabelka from Russia in four sets, 16-25, 27-25, 17-25, 22-25.
Chinese Taipei, on the other hand, fell on the last hurdle before reaching a regional tournament final once more, as it got swept by the hosts, 13-25, 19-25, 16-25.
As such, Alas and Chinese Taipei’s next battle on Saturday will have much more significant stakes with an outright podium finish in the offing.
But how did it all play out the last time they shared the court?
Alas had the last laugh
Alas foiled Chinese Taipei’s attempt at a reverse-sweep in the Nations Cup semifinals, 25-17, 25-21, 18-25, 15-25, 15-12, for Philippine volleyball’s first appearance in an AVC tournament final in 64 years.
It was also the Filipinos' second straight win in competitive international play over Chinese Taipei since the 2024 AVC Challenge Cup in Manila where Alas won in straight sets.
Bella Belen led the nationals’ historic triumph with 14 points, 19 receptions, and 16 digs.
Pacing the tough loss for Chinese Taipei was its ace troika of spikers in Chieh Chen (19 points), Shuang Ling Liu (17 points), and Yi-Chi Chang (14 points).
New faces aplenty
Come the VTV Cup battle for third, however, the three-time UAAP MVP and fellow collegiate stars Angel Canino and Alyssa Solomon won’t be taking center stage.
And that is what will spell the biggest difference in this VTV Cup rematch.
The Philippines only has five holdovers from the Nations Cup in captain Jia de Guzman, Dawn Macandili-Catindig, Dell Palomata, Eya Laure, and Vanie Gandler.
On the flip side, Chinese Taipei made just one player change from their 14-strong Nations Cup team by fielding opposite hitter Ching Hsuan Huang over setter Chen Ting-ru.
Whether a retooled Alas lineup with the likes of Brooke Van Sickle and MJ Phillips can produce the same winning outcome or a bitter loss will be known in the VTV Cup bronze-medal match on Saturday, 6 p.m. Manila time.
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