Strong Group Athletics could not complete its comeback bid as Supreme Tip Chonburi-E.Tech held firm for a 25-13, 25-20, 16-25, 25-21 victory in the opening match of the 2026 Formosa Women’s Volleyball Invitational Tournament on Thursday at Xinzhuang Gymnasium in Chinese Taipei.
The Philippine side struggled to establish its rhythm early, allowing the Thai club to build a two-set advantage before making a strong response in the third frame.
Strong Group showed its fighting spirit after the break, controlling the third set from the opening exchanges. Holding a slim 13-11 lead, Ces Molina helped ignite a crucial 12-5 closing run before finishing the set with a kill to extend the match.
The momentum appeared to shift toward Strong Group in the fourth set as it carried its confidence from the previous frame and built an early advantage.
However, Supreme Tip Chonburi remained composed and relied on the efforts of Kuttika Kaewpin and Waranya Srilaoong to erase the deficit and regain control.
Trisha Tubu gave Strong Group one final chance after her powerful attack grazed Kaewpin’s arms to save a match point, but Srilaoong delivered the finishing blow with an off-the-block kill to secure the victory for Supreme Chonburi.
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STRONG GROUP YIELDS TO THAI STARS
Strong Group-Pilipinas fell in four sets to Thailand’s Supreme TIP https://t.co/4SoaU2MSKY, 13-25, 20-25, 25-16, 25-21, in its opening match at the 2026 2026 Formosa Women’s Volleyball Invitational Tournament in Taiwan.
Trisha Tubu led all… pic.twitter.com/JedLtzcYXo
— John Mark Garcia (@johnmarkdg_) July 30, 2026
Supreme Chonburi dictated the pace early in the match, especially in the opening set. Strong Group stayed within striking distance before the Thai side unleashed a 7-0 run, capped by a Kaewpin kill, to turn a 9-7 advantage into a 16-7 lead.
The Philippine squad attempted to slow down the surge as Nualwan committed a service error and AC Miner stopped Kaewpin at the net, but Supreme Chonburi quickly regained momentum and closed the set with a 9-4 run.
Strong Group continued to battle in the second set and managed to cut the gap to 21-19 following a Jonna Perdido kill.
However, Kaewpin sparked a decisive 4-1 finish that gave Supreme Chonburi a commanding 2-0 lead.
Despite the opening loss, Strong Group gained valuable international exposure as the team continues to build chemistry against foreign competition.
The squad, which combines players from PVL clubs Farm Fresh Foxies and ZUS Coffee Thunderbelles, features key contributors such as Tubu and is using the tournament as preparation against higher-level opponents.
Strong Group will look to bounce back when it faces host team Earth Power Taipei on Saturday night, with a victory needed to strengthen its chances of advancing to the medal round.
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