It took only an hour for Alas Pilipinas to put its disappointing five-set loss to Australia behind and return to winning form.
The Filipinas delivered a commanding performance from start to finish, sweeping Kyrgyzstan, 25-9, 25-11, 25-17, to secure their second victory in the AVC Women’s Nations Cup at the Candon City Arena.
After being pushed to the limit by Australia a day earlier, Alas left no room for drama this time, overwhelming Kyrgyzstan with superior attacking, disciplined floor defense, and a balanced offensive attack.
The Philippines seized control immediately in the opening set, racing to an 11-3 advantage behind relentless pressure at the net. A block by Thea Gagate extended the lead to 18-8 before a service ace from Kyle Negrito pushed the margin to 19-8.
Alas continued to pile on the points with a 5-0 run that stretched the lead to 20-8, leaving Kyrgyzstan with no answers. Veteran wing spiker Cess Molina eventually closed out the frame with a powerful attack to seal a lopsided 25-9 opening-set victory.
The numbers reflected the domination, with Alas converting 16 attack points while Kyrgyzstan managed just one attack point in the set.
The momentum carried into the second frame as young middle blocker Niña Ytang emerged as a key contributor on both ends of the floor. Her defensive presence and timely attacks helped the Filipinas establish a 10-4 lead, highlighted by a setup that led to an Alyssa Valdez kill.
Alas never looked back, building a 15-5 cushion midway through the set before stretching the advantage to 18-6. Ytang continued her strong outing with another point that made it 21-7.
Molina once again helped bring the Philippines to the brink, scoring for a 24-10 lead before Cla Loresco finished the set with a quick attack to hand Alas a comfortable 25-11 win.
The Filipinas capitalized on 14 attack points and took full advantage of eight Kyrgyzstan errors in the second set.
Determined to finish the match quickly, Alas opened the third set with a 5-0 run fueled by back-to-back points from Jovelyn Gonzaga.
Gonzaga remained aggressive early, scoring three of the team’s first seven points as the Filipinas established control. Kyrgyzstan attempted to mount a response with three consecutive points, but Ytang quickly halted the rally with another attack that restored an eight-point lead at 14-6.
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2026 AVC WOMEN’S CUP IN CANDON
ALAS Pilipinas def. Kyrgyzstan in 3 straight sets 25-9, 25-11, 25-17.
The ALAS Pilipinas redemption was successful today! CONGRATS ALAS PILIPINAS
#ALASPILIPINAS #AVCCup2026 pic.twitter.com/MouwNSWJ7B
— VOLLEYBALLnatics (@VBALLnatics) June 8, 2026
Alas continued to dictate the pace, eventually stretching the margin to 20-10 as victory came into sight.
To its credit, Kyrgyzstan showed more resistance late in the third set and managed to surpass the 15-point mark for the first time in the match. However, the comeback attempt never seriously threatened the Filipinas.
A Kyrgyzstan error brought Alas to match point before Loresco delivered the final blow, hammering down the match-winning spike to complete the straight-sets triumph.
Gagate led the balanced offensive effort with 11 points built on eight attacks, two blocks, and one ace. Gonzaga added 10 points, while team captain Alyssa Valdez chipped in nine.
Ytang and Loresco combined for 10 points, but their impact extended far beyond the scoresheet. Both young middle blockers anchored the defensive effort with timely blocks and strong floor coverage that repeatedly disrupted Kyrgyzstan’s attack.
Meanwhile, Alyssa Solomon, who erupted for 23 points against Australia, was limited to three points as Alas spread the offense among multiple scorers.
For Kyrgyzstan, Aiturgan Aitbekova finished as the team’s top scorer with four points.
The biggest difference, however, came in attack production. The Philippines dominated the category, 48-12, showcasing the offensive firepower that fueled one of its most convincing victories of the tournament.
With the bounce-back win, Alas Pilipinas regained momentum and strengthened its position in Pool A as it continues its campaign in the AVC Women’s Nations Cup.
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