ALAS Pilipinas are off to a triumphant start after scaling the taller Australian Volleyroos, 22-25, 25-19, 25-16, 25-21, at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum in Manila on Thursday night, May 23.
The Philippine women’s national volleyball team bucked an opening-set hiccup, shifting into a higher gear in the succeeding frames to stave off Australia.
The match began with a back-and-forth struggle as both teams refused to give way. However, the playmaking brilliance of Jia De Guzman, combined with the scoring prowess of Sisi Rondina, Eya Laure, and Angel Canino, propelled Alas Pilipinas to a 21-18 lead.
The Australians, though, capitalized on their height advantage and banked on their net defense to mount a set-clinching 7-1 run for an early buffer.
Despite such a meltdown, the Filipinas displayed grit and composure, seizing control in the second frame with a 23-18 advantage. Cassandra Dodd then coughed out an attack error before De Guzman and Thea Gagate linked up for a quick hit that tied the set count at 1-all.
The Philippines carried over momentum in the third frame, when the Filipinas once again brewed a perfect blend of veteran smarts and youthful vigor to establish a double-digit cushion at 24-14. Australia managed to save two set points, but Canino sealed the set with a differential hit, as posted on One Sports.ph
