Alas Pilipinas suffered a defeat at the hands of Pakistan, 18-25, 12-25, 25-18, 22-25, in the 2025 AVC Men’s Volleyball Nations Cup in Bahrain.
Alas Pilipinas could not find their groove early in the match, especially since team captain Marck Espejo did not return after starting in the first set after an awkward landing. Luckily for the team, Leo Ordiales provided a spark from the bench, exploding for 10 points in the third set.
Unfortunately, in the fourth set, the experience of Pakistan proved to be the difference as they successfully closed the doors on the Philippines and pushed the backs of Alas Pilipinas against the wall.
Ordiales led the team with 22 points in 15 attacks, five blocks, and two service aces. Buds Buddin and Steve Rotte added 10 points apiece. The Pakistani team has a more balanced scoring, with three players – Murad Khan, Afaq Khan, and Musawer Khan – scoring 14 points apiece.
Take a closer look at Alas Pilipinas’ loss against Pakistan through these statistics:
Alas Pilipinas Errors
Alas Pilipinas has committed 28 errors compared to just 15 of Pakistan.
In terms of attack points, Pakistan had 48, with Murad Khan, Afaq Khan, and Musawer Khan combining for 32 attack points. For the side of the Philippines, Leo Ordinales scored 15 points off attack, while Buds Buddin and Steve Rotter combined for 13 attack points.
Pakistan also delivered 14 block points, compared to the Philippines’ 13 block points. Musawer Khan led the team in blockings with four block points, followed by Murad Khan with three. For the Philippines, Ordiales recorded five block points, followed by Lloyd Josafat with three, and Rotter with two.
In terms of service aces, the Philippines scored four points from the service line with Ordiales delivering two aces, and Rotter and Peng Taguibolos scoring one service ace apiece. For Pakistan, Afaq Khan had two service aces while Abdul Zaheer had one.
Next for Alas
In order to qualify for the quarterfinals, Alas Pilipinas will face Chinese Taipei on Wednesday, July 18, at 7:00 pm (Manila time). Chinese Taipei needs to lose both games against the Philippines and Pakistan for Alas Pilipinas to qualify for the quarterfinals.
