Representing the Philippines in the 2026 Formosa Women’s Volleyball Invitational Tournament, Strong Group capped its campaign with a silver medal after bowing to Japan’s Aleeza Aichi in the championship match on Sunday.
The Japanese club lived up to its billing as tournament favorite, defeating the Filipinas in straight sets, 25-17, 25-19, 25-15, to secure the championship.
Despite the final scoreline, Strong Group refused to back down early. The Philippine side challenged Aleeza Aichi throughout the opening two sets, staying within striking distance before the Japanese squad gradually imposed its superior rhythm and execution.
The third set ultimately became the turning point of the match.
Sensing the title within reach, Aleeza Aichi tightened its grip and built a commanding 19-12 advantage that left Strong Group scrambling to stay alive.
Ces Molina and Trisha Tubu tried to ignite one final comeback, leading a 4-1 run that briefly breathed life into the Philippine side’s hopes.
But the Japanese champions responded immediately, closing the match with a dominant 5-0 finishing burst to complete the straight-set sweep and lift the trophy.
Although the championship slipped away, Strong Group’s path to the final highlighted the team’s resilience throughout the tournament.
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The Filipinas opened their campaign with a four-set defeat to Thailand’s Supreme Tip Chonburi-E.Tech, placing their title hopes in jeopardy.
Instead of folding, they bounced back with a crucial victory over Chinese Taipei’s Earthpower EPV, creating a three-way tie at 1-1 in the standings.
That win proved enough to send Strong Group into the gold medal match after advancing on a superior set ratio, giving the Philippine representatives an opportunity to compete for the championship despite finishing the preliminary round with a 1-1 record.
Riding that momentum, Strong Group entered the final believing another upset was within reach. However, Aleeza Aichi quickly demonstrated why it had been considered the tournament’s team to beat, controlling the match from start to finish.
Still, the silver-medal finish stands as an encouraging result for a squad assembled from two Premier Volleyball League clubs—Farm Fresh Foxies and ZUS Coffee Thunderbelles.
Despite limited time together, the team quickly developed chemistry and reached an international championship match against established regional competition.
With the overseas campaign ended, the players will turn their attention back to their respective PVL clubs as the PVL On Tour continues in the coming weeks.
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