The Philippines dropped a 19-25, 16-25, 25-22, 25-19, 11-15 decision to Venezuela on Wednesday (Philippine time) in San Felipe, Chile, yet the four-set rally was enough to send Alas Girls into the Round of 16 of the FIVB U17 World Championship.
Down 0-2 and seemingly on the brink, the young Filipinos refused to let the match end quietly. Caera Celis and Xyz Rayco spearheaded the turnaround as Alas Girls won the third and fourth sets to force a decider.
Although Venezuela regained control in the fifth, the Philippines had already secured the tiebreak point it needed to move ahead of Mexico for the final Round-of-16 ticket.
That result made Alas Girls the first Philippine team to advance to the knockout stage of a volleyball world championship.
The Philippines now faces an even tougher challenge: an unbeaten South Korean side that swept all five of its Pool D matches. The Round of 16 clash is set for Thursday, August 13, in Santiago, Chile.
OKBET is Asia’s most trusted and popular online sports gaming platform. Visit us on OKBET to stay up to date with all sports news from around the world.
Get the latest sports updates faster. Join the official Sports PH News Discord community today! https://discord.gg/defTe7KeT
Celis once again delivered at the top of the Alas offense, matching her tournament-high with 24 points. She finished with 22 kills and two aces.
Rayco provided the other major offensive spark with 19 points, coming from 17 attacks, one block, and one ace.
Jhaynna Bulandres added eight points, including six attacks and two blocks, while Madele Gale chipped in six points with three blocks.
Irish May Mahinay contributed five points through two blocks and three aces. Sharina Rhyza Lleses added four, while Taj Teves and Khaira Manzano scored two points apiece. Jhenica Sadia completed the scoring with one point.
Meanwhile in Venezuela, Yalesca erupted for a game-high 27 points, with Amanda Pacheco adding 15 and Fabianny Carima producing 14. Antonella Lovera Pacheco also reached double figures with 12 points.
The match was decided by a handful of statistical edges as Venezuela held the advantage at the net, particularly on blocks, where it outscored the Philippines 16-8. The Venezuelans also had the slightest edge in attacks, 58-57, and finished ahead in service aces, 7-6.
Errors, meanwhile, were dead even at 25 apiece wherein the numbers reflected a match in which Alas Girls were never far from Venezuela despite falling behind early. The Philippines found a way to extend the contest and, more importantly, collect the point that kept its world championship journey alive.
Venezuela finished second in Pool B at 3-2, behind unbeaten China. While for Alas Girls, the loss ultimately became a milestone rather than an ending.
Their reward is a place among the world’s best U17 teams—and a meeting with South Korea, the undefeated Pool D champion, in the Round of 16 on Thursday, August 13.
Don’t miss out on the latest sports news, updates, and fan discussions!
Follow our Facebook page Sports PH News today and join the community of passionate sports fans.
Leave a Reply