Alyssa Solomon made an immediate impact in her return to the Alas Pilipinas lineup, but Australia escaped with a hard-fought 22-25, 25-23, 25-18, 25-15, 15-11 victory over the Philippines in the 2026 AVC Women’s Volleyball Cup on Sunday.
After sitting out the team’s opening-day sweep of Uzbekistan, Solomon delivered a game-high 23 points built on 22 attacks and 1 block as Alas Pilipinas absorbed its first loss of the tournament.
Slow Start for Alas Pilipinas and Near-Miss
The Philippines overcame a sluggish start and appeared on track for a second straight victory after claiming the second and third sets. However, Australia responded strongly in the fourth frame before pulling away late in the deciding fifth set.
“Lesson learned sa amin ’to, and malaking tulong sa amin ’to para sa mga susunod na games namin. Ready naman ’yung team, kailangan lang namin mag-recover mabuti and paghahandaan namin sila,” said interim head coach Shaq Delos Santos.
Alas Pilipinas seized momentum midway through the match behind the efforts of Solomon, Niña Ytang, and Alyssa Valdez, turning an early deficit into a 2-1 set advantage.
Australia Rises to the Challenge
But Australia refused to fold. The Australians dominated the fourth set to force a decider, then quickly grabbed a 7-4 lead in the fifth.
Back-to-back attacks from Valdez helped the Philippines tie the score at seven-all, but a series of crucial plays from Ella Schabort, Chloe Walker, and Lara Maric allowed Australia to regain control.
A decisive 3-0 run gave the visitors a 13-9 cushion before they eventually closed out the match to improve their standing in Pool A.
Bright Spots for Alas Pilipinas
Aside from Solomon’s offensive explosion, Ytang continued her impressive tournament campaign with 13 points on 9 attacks, 3 aces, and 1 block.
Valdez contributed 11 points, 12 excellent digs, and 5 excellent receptions, while Thea Gagate added 7 points. Royse Tubino chipped in 6 markers off the bench.
Ces Molina and Jovelyn Gonzaga, who starred in the win over Uzbekistan, were limited to 3 points apiece.
Australia leaned on a balanced attack led by Caitlin O’Dea, who finished with 17 points on 14 attacks and 3 blocks.
Lara Maric added 16 points, while Schabort and Anni Tang scored 12 points each. Walker chipped in 10 points, including 4 kill blocks.
The loss dropped Alas Pilipinas to 1-1 in Pool A as it looks to bounce back in its next assignment against Kyrgyzstan on Monday, June 8.
