Alas Pilipinas secured a breakthrough victory at the 2024 AVC Challenge Cup for Men after defeating Indonesia in the classification round.
Alas Pilipinas repulsed Indonesia, carving out a hard-fought decision in four sets, 25-23, 23-25, 25-14, 25-22, to chalk up their first victory at the 2024 AVC Challenge Cup for Men in Isa Town, Bahrain Wednesday, June 5.
Reeling from two tough losses to world No. 31 China and reigning silver medalist Bahrain in Pool A, setbacks that dashed its title dreams, the Philippines refused to drop another match, playing with urgency to start the classification phase.
The Filipinos dictated the tempo in the opening salvo, as Owa Retamar wasted no time generating the offense for Jau Umandal, Leo Ordiales, Kim Malabunga, and Marck Espejo to seize a 20-16 lead.
However, Alas coughed out a string of errors, allowing the Indonesians to forge a deadlock at 20. Espejo, though, restored order as he went on a personal 3-1 spurt for a 23-21 edge. Ordiales then took the scoring baton and nailed the set-clinching hits.
It was a back-and-forth struggle in the second frame, as both teams figured in a stalemate at 21.
The Philippines managed to take the lead off an Indonesia error, but Espejo and Jade Disquitado botched consecutive attack attempts to tip the scales back to the opposing side.
Espejo then tried to make amends in the ensuing sequence, but Prasasti Dedi rejected him at the net. Disquitado stopped the bleeding for Alas, but Retamar committed a costly service error.
With the set count tied at 1-all, the Filipinos stepped on the gas, racing to a 24-14 separation in set 3 before Malabunga pushed his side closer to victory with a quick attack.
The Philippines carried over momentum in the decisive fourth frame, where it mounted a commanding 20-14 cushion.
Riski Yudi rattled off consecutive blows, pumping life to the comeback bid of the Indonesians, who knocked to within two at 19-21. Espejo and Disquitado stopped the bleeding for Alas before Nico Almendras came through with the match-clinching hit several sequences later.
Espejo carried the cudgels with 20 points built on 17 attacks, two aces, and a block.
Malabunga was a tower of power, collecting six of the team's 15 blocks to finish with 12 points, while Disquitado pitched a dozen of his own on nine spikes and three rejections.
Almendras and Ordiales also made their presence felt with 10 and seven points, respectively.
Indonesia, on the other hand, still remained winless in three outings.
Dedi paced the losing side with 18 markers, while Nibras Fauzan managed 12 points.
The Philippines now advances to its last classification match for 9th place on June 7, Friday, as it takes on the winner between Thailand and Chinese Taipei.