THE Philippine women’s volleyball team, Alas Pilipinas, suffered a straight-set defeat (20-25, 21-25, 21-25) against Vietnam in their opening match of the 2025 VTV International Women’s Volleyball Cup on Sunday night. Despite the loss, Alas Pilipinas demonstrated a significant improvement in their performance compared to their previous encounter with Vietnam in the AVC Finals, where they were swept in three sets (15-25, 17-25, 14-25).
This marked improvement is largely attributed to the contributions of Filipino-American newcomers Brooke Van Sickle, MJ Phillips, and Tia Andaya. Van Sickle delivered powerful crosscourt hits, while Phillips provided a steady presence in the team’s defense.
However, the Vietnamese squad effectively adapted to Alas Pilipinas’ new lineup, maintaining their momentum despite the close scores in all three sets. The Philippine team, coached by Jorge Souza de Brito, fought hard but ultimately fell short.
Alas Pilipinas will aim to rebound in their next match against China on Monday at 5:30 p.m.
