Alas Pilipinas saw its semifinal hopes come to an end after absorbing a straight‑set defeat to Chinese Taipei, 25‑16, 25‑14, 25‑10, in the 2026 AVC Women’s Volleyball Cup on Thursday.
The loss dropped the Philippines to a 2‑3 record in Pool A, sending the team to the classification phase, where it will compete for either fifth or seventh place depending on the outcome of the remaining matches.
The result marks the country’s lowest finish in the tournament over the past three editions after securing a historic bronze medal in 2024 and reaching the finals in 2025.
Alas Pilipinas Outplayed From the Get-Go
Chinese Taipei controlled the match from start to finish, using its efficient offense and disciplined defense to neutralize the Philippines’ key scoring options.
The Taiwanese squad finished with a commanding 40‑18 advantage in attacks, while also dominating the net with a 10‑3 edge in blocks and a 5‑0 margin in service aces.
Alyssa Solomon paced the Filipinas with 6 points, while Niña Ytang was limited to 3. Thea Gagate and team captain Alyssa Valdez added 2 points apiece as Alas Pilipinas struggled to establish any sustained rhythm throughout the match.
“Siguro talaga malaking factor dito ’yung preparation namin. And then siguro talagang kailangan pa ng more time para dito, but we need to accept na ganito talaga ’yung naging nangyari,” said interim head coach Shaq Delos Santos.
“But ’di kami mawawalan ng hope kasi gusto namin maging better pa ’yung volleyball natin,” he added.
Reason for Optimism?
Despite the setback, Delos Santos remained optimistic about the team’s long‑term development, noting that the current group had limited preparation time before the tournament.
Chinese Taipei, meanwhile, improved to 4‑0 to secure the top spot in Pool A and advance to the semifinals. The victory also served as redemption after the Philippines eliminated Taiwan in last year’s semifinals.
Hsu Wanyun led Chinese Taipei with 14 points built on 13 attacks and 1 ace. Chang Yichi and Chen Ciaoen added 13 and 12 points, respectively, in the dominant win.
Alas Pilipinas now shifts its focus to the classification round, looking to finish its campaign on a positive note and gain valuable experience as it continues preparations toward future international competitions.
