Alas Pilipinas quickly put its five-set loss to Australia behind it, overpowering Kyrgyzstan, 25-9, 25-11, 25-17, to return to the win column in the 2026 AVC Women’s Volleyball Cup on Monday.
The Philippines improved to 2-1 in Pool A, staying firmly in the hunt for a semifinal berth after a dominant performance that lasted just one hour.
Coming off a heartbreaking defeat a day earlier, Alas Pilipinas wasted no time reasserting itself, controlling the match from the opening set and never allowing Kyrgyzstan to gain momentum.
Balanced Attack Powers Alas Pilipinas
The Filipinas leaned on a balanced attack led by Thea Gagate, Jovelyn Gonzaga, and team captain Alyssa Valdez, while also dominating at the net with their blocking.
After cruising through the first two sets, Alas Pilipinas raced to a 7-0 lead in the third frame, prompting interim head coach Shaq Delos Santos to give extended minutes to the team’s second unit.
The reserves responded well, with Ara Galang, Cla Loresco, and Alyssa Solomon helping maintain control as the Philippines stretched the lead to double digits before completing the straight-sets victory.
Gagate delivered her best outing of the tournament, finishing with a game-high 11 points built on eight attacks, two blocks, and one 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.
Gonzaga added 10 points on 8 attacks and 2 blocks after being limited to just 3 markers in the loss to Australia.
Valdez contributed 9 points, while Ces Molina chipped in 8 markers and 9 excellent digs as Alas Pilipinas showcased its depth and balance.
Niña Ytang added 6 points, while Loresco and setter Kyle Negrito each finished with 4 markers.
Timely and Much-Needed Boost for Alas Pilipinas
The victory provided a timely boost for the national team as it heads into a tougher challenge against Asian powerhouse South Korea.
Alas Pilipinas will look to further strengthen its semifinal chances when it takes on the Koreans on Tuesday, June 9, at 3 p.m.
For Kyrgyzstan, Aiturgan Aitbekova paced the squad with 4 points, while Raiana Baiamanova and Gulmira Tulenova added 3 points each as the team dropped to 0-2 in the standings.
