Alas Pilipinas withstood a first set loss before winning the next three to defeat Indonesia, 22-25, 25-23, 25-13, 28-26, on Sunday at the Dong Anh Gymnasium. With the win, the Jorge de Brito-coached squad improved to 2-0 in Pool B in the 2025 AVC Women’s Nations Cup.
Coming off a dominant win over Mongolia on Saturday, Alas Pilipinas encountered stiff opposition right from the get-go, not only dropping the first set but also trailing the second set, 23-21. Staring an 0-2 hole, the Filipina volleybelles recovered right in the nick of time, scoring the final four points of Set 2 to tie the match at 1-1 and turn things around.
Ace Up in the Alas Pilipinas Sleeve: Alyssa Solomon and a Talented Bench
Keying Alas Pilipinas’ resurgence was NU Lady Bulldogs standout Alyssa Solomon, who got the first six nod this time and responded with 17 big points. Unfortunately, Solomon sprained her ankle in the fourth, sidelining her for the rest of the match. Fortunately, the Philippines’ depth came in handy as Angel Canino, Bella Belen, Fifi Sharma, and Shaina Nitura all shined for Alas Pilipinas.
Canino, in particular, proved to be a difference-maker, firing 15 points on 11 attacks, 3 aces, and a block on top of 12 excellent digs. Belen added 12 points to go along with 8 digs and 5 excellent receptions, while Nitura scored 6—including the game-sealing kill in the fourth set.
Ersandrina De Vega typified Indonesia’s spirited effort, finishing with a match-high 22 points on 22 attacks on top of 8 digs and 10 receptions. Ajeng Viona Adelea added 21 points, but her and De Vega’s brilliance wasn’t enough against Alas Pilipinas’ talent and depth.
Alas Pilipinas will continue their 2025 AVC Women’s Nations Cup campaign on Monday afternoon against Iran, who is tied with the Philippines and Kazakhstan with identical 2-0 records in Pool B.
