Alas Pilipinas U18 made sure its final impression at the 2026 AVC Girls’ U18 Volleyball Championship was its strongest.
The young Filipinas capped their campaign with a commanding 25-20, 25-20, 25-21 victory over Chinese Taipei on Tuesday at Nakhon Ratchasima Rajabhat University in Thailand, securing a ninth-place finish in the 16-nation tournament.
While a quarterfinal berth ultimately slipped away earlier in the competition, the national youth squad refused to dwell on missed opportunities. Instead, it responded by winning its last three matches in dominant fashion, closing the tournament with confidence and momentum.
Leading the way in the finale was Ma. Ellanie Lorraine Gonzalvo, who once again spearheaded the Philippine attack with 15 points built on 14 kills and an ace. She also contributed seven digs to help the team control both ends of the floor.
Sharina Rhyza Lleses provided another reliable scoring option, tallying 11 points on attacks while adding six digs, as the Filipinas consistently found answers against the Chinese Taipei defense.
Jhaynna Bulandres also delivered an all-around effort with 10 points, highlighted by seven attacks, two blocks, and an ace. Ysabella Patricia Cruz and Adeleine Terese Agustin chipped in five markers each, with Agustin making her presence felt at the net through three blocks.
Running the offense was setter Micaella Gould, who finished with 69 excellent sets while contributing two points and four digs. Irish May Mahinay added an ace, while libero Frances Dianne Ramos anchored the backcourt with eight digs and four excellent receptions. Ghenievib Belen also helped stabilize the defense with three digs.
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PANALO!
Alas Pilipinas ended its campaign with a dominant straight-sets victory over
Chinese Taipei, 25-20, 25-20, 25-21, to finish in 9th place.
It was an improvement from the Philippines’ 10th-place finish in the previous edition.
Chinese Taipei, meanwhile,… pic.twitter.com/m5lFp4JqKk
— Volleytrails (@volleytrails) July 7, 2026
The victory completed a strong turnaround for the Philippines after a challenging preliminary round.
Alas Pilipinas opened its campaign by defeating Iran in four sets before consecutive losses to regional power Japan and Indonesia denied the squad a chance to advance into the championship bracket.
Rather than letting those setbacks define its tournament, the Filipinas regrouped in the classification phase, sweeping Uzbekistan and Hong Kong, China before finishing with another convincing straight-set victory over Chinese Taipei.
The three-match winning streak allowed the Philippines to end the continental tournament with a 4-2 record, a respectable finish that highlighted the team’s resilience and continued development against some of Asia’s top youth volleyball programs.
Although the championship rounds continued without them, Alas Pilipinas U18 departed Thailand with valuable international experience and the satisfaction of ending its campaign with three consecutive victories, providing a solid foundation for the country’s next generation of volleyball talent.
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