Thea Gagate made sure Alas Pilipinas responded the right way after its heartbreaking loss to Australia.
A day after the Philippines squandered a 2-1 set lead in a five-set defeat, Gagate spearheaded the team’s bounce-back effort, helping Alas Pilipinas sweep Kyrgyzstan, 25-9, 25-11, 25-17, in the 2026 AVC Women’s Volleyball Cup.
The victory improved the Philippines to 2-1 in Pool A and kept its semifinal hopes firmly intact.
Coming off a relatively quiet 7-point outing against Australia, Gagate took charge at the net on both ends of the floor, providing the stability and energy the team needed to quickly move on from the setback.
The 6-foot-2 middle blocker finished with a team-high 11 points built on 8 attacks, 2 blocks, and 1 ace.
“Inisip lang namin ’yung mga lapses namin nung last game, and ginawan lang namin ng paraan para maka-recover and mabalik ’yung kumpyansa ng bawat isa,” said Gagate.
“Well, iniisip lang talaga namin ’yung sarili namin, ’yung teammates namin. Siyempre, nandoon din ’yung tiwala ng bawat isa and especially sa coaches. Malaking bagay kasi sila rin ’yung naghe-help sa amin maging buo as a team.”
The performance was another reminder of Gagate’s growing importance to the national team.
Thea Gagate’s Bigger Role for Alas
As one of only two holdovers from the Alas Pilipinas squad that competed in the 33rd Southeast Asian Games, alongside Alyssa Solomon, Gagate has embraced a larger role in helping guide a relatively new-look roster through the tournament.
Working alongside team captain Alyssa Valdez and veterans Jovelyn Gonzaga and Ces Molina, the former La Salle standout has become one of the team’s key voices both on and off the court.
“For me, gusto ko lang talaga ibigay ’yung best ko and gusto ko lang din ma-apply ’yung mga natutunan ko nga in the past tournaments sa national team,” said Gagate.
“And hopefully, mas marami pa akong maipakita, especially sa upcoming games since important din ’yung games na ’yun.”
Guiding the Younger Stalwarts
Beyond her on-court production, Gagate also hopes her experiences from previous international campaigns can help accelerate the development of the younger members of the squad.
“Well, siguro puwede kong ibigay sa kanila ’yung mga natutunan ko in the past leagues sa national team, lalo na sa mga bata. And siyempre tina-try ko rin ’yung best ko na ibigay lahat.”
With momentum restored after the dominant win over Kyrgyzstan, Gagate and Alas Pilipinas now turn their attention to a crucial showdown against South Korea as they continue their pursuit of a semifinal berth.
