Alas Pilipinas capped off their gallant campaign in the 2024 AVC Challenge Cup with a historic bronze after defeating Australia in the battle for third.
Alas Pilipinas would not be denied in their second date with history on Wednesday, May 29.
The Philippines secured its first-ever podium finish in the Asian Volleyball Confederation after reasserting its mastery over Australia, 25-23, 25-15, 25-7, in the 2024 Challenge Cup battle for third at the fabled Rizal Memorial Coliseum in Manila.
The monumental victory marked the country's first medal in an AVC-sanctioned tournament since joining the confederation in 1961.
This also ended the five-year podium drought of the women’s national team, which last bagged double bronze medals at the Southeast Asian (SEA) V. League legs in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand, and Santa Rosa, Philippines, back in 2019.
The match started off with a back-and-forth struggle before Jia De Guzman weaved her magic, orchestrating the offense of Alas from all angles. The quintet of Thea Gagate, Sisi Rondina, Eya Laure, Angel Canino, and Fifi Sharma turned an 8-all stalemate into a 19-12 lead for Alas.
The Australian Volleyroos, however, leaned on Caitlin Tipping, Cameron Zajer, and Ella Schabort to trim the deficit down to a solitary point at 20-21, but Canino restored order for the Filipinas with a down-the-line hit.
Rondina and Gagate then pushed the Philippines to set point, before Rondina detonated a bomb from the back row for an early buffer.
Alas Pilipinas carried over momentum in the second frame, dictating the tempo for a 23-14 advantage courtesy of a Canino service ace.
De Guzman then bamboozled the Australian defense with a quick-witted drop several sequences later, setting the stage for Rondina to nail the set-clinching blow for a 2-0 edge.
Come the decisive third set, the Volleyroos let the floodgates open, allowing the Alas Pilipinas to cruise to a 21-7 lead. The Filipinas would never relinquish the lead the rest of the way, leading to a commanding 18-point win to close things out.
Canino spearheaded the offensive thrust of the Philippines with 14 points, all but one coming from attacks.
Rondina also made her presence felt with 13 points built on 11 spikes and two aces, while Laure bounced back from her three-point outing versus Kazakhstan with a 10-point performance.
Gagate anchored above the net with all but one of her team’s four blocks, finishing with a 10-point showing of her own. Sharma was also instrumental with seven points.
On the other hand, Australia finished the tournament in fourth place.
Tipping paced the losing side with 13 points on 11 attacks and two blocks.
The Volleyroos captain was the lone double-digit scorer for the Australians, as Schabort and Emma Burton ended their campaign with seven and five markers, respectively.