02-08-2025
Alas Pilipinas falters vs. Vietnam to remain winless in SEA V.League
Alas Pilipinas clawed their way to a gritty third-set win but ran out of steam in the fourth, falling to Vietnam with a 13-25, 21-25, 25-23, 9-25 loss to remain winless in the 2025 SEA Leg 1 on Saturday in Thailand.
The Filipinas fell to a 0-2 win-loss record following their similar four-set defeat at the hands of powerhouse and host Thailand on Friday while Vietnam improved to 2-0.
National team mainstays Vanie Gandler and Dell Palomata connived in the third set with the latter winning a joust that broke a 22-all deadlock and sent the Philippines to a one-point cushion.
Eya Laure then shattered a two-woman block before a service error from Thi Kieu Trinh Hoang went wide on her serve as Alas Pilipinas extended its life to a fourth set.
But Vietnam made sure to start off hot in the fourth with Thi Bich Tuyen punishing the Filipinas on all areas, serving up an ace that sent her squad to an 11-3 cushion before she unleashed a kill from the back row to make it a 19-7 separation.
Tuyen then went off-speed on her opposite kill before Thi Uyen put together the finishing kick, unloading three of Vietnam's last four points including a powerful hammer from the left wing to seal the victory.
The loss placed the Philippines on the brink of a podium-less outing as the Filipinas will slug it out against Indonesia on Sunday. Indonesia, for its part, will tangle with unbeaten Thailand later today in bid to secure its breakthrough win.
—JKC, GMA Integrated News
