ALAS Pilipinas Women, it turned out, would've reached the 2025 AVC Women's Volleyball Nations Cup anyways, even if it had lost to Kazakhstan.
An unlikely Iran loss to previously winless Mongolia would have handed the Philippines the last semifinal spot in the six-team Pool B.
READ Two ways Alas can reach Nations Cup semis
Hours after Alas' upset win over the Kazakhs, Mongolia pulled off an upset of its own as it disposed of Iran in five sets, 25-18, 21-25, 14-25, 25-21, 15-11.
It was the Iranian side's third five-setter in their last four matches, having won against Indonesia and the Philippines earlier this week.
Pool B play ended with Alas on top with a 4-1 win-loss card (13 points) along with Kazakhstan, also at 4-1 (12 points).
Iran, the Philippines' lone tormentor in pool play, was relegated to the classification stage at 3-2.
The Philippines will have to wait for a few more hours before learning who its semis opponent will be for tomorrow — either Vietnam or likely to be Chinese Taipei.
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
