Alas Pilipinas etched their names in Philippine volleyball history after securing a silver medal at the 2025 Asian Volleyball Confederation Women’s Nations Cup, falling to powerhouse Vietnam in their finals match in Hanoi, Vietnam, on Saturday, June 14.
Despite Vietnam defending their title with a 3-0 victory (25-15, 25-17, 25-14), the Philippine team’s remarkable journey marks their best-ever finish in an Asian-level competition, igniting a wave of national pride.
The breakthrough silver also puts the spotlight on the booming growth and potential of the Nationals in bigger stages, with them eclipsing their historic bronze medal performance last year in the Challenge Cup.
Although they entered the championship-clinching match as underdogs, the 14-women-strong Nationals still laid out all their aces to record 27 attacks, but those efforts fell short compared to Vietnam’s 49 offensive output.
Nevertheless, it was still an impressive showing for the ladies who valiantly eked out a narrow five-set thriller against Chinese Taipei (25-17, 25-21, 18-25, 15-25, 15-12) last Friday, on their way to challenge the host country’s bet in the finals.
Standout Alyssa Solomon led Alas Pilipinas with 8 points, with newly-minted UAAP Season 87 Rookie of the Year Shaina Nitura having 6. However, the team found it difficult to generate direct points from serves, tallying 0 aces against Vietnam’s 7.
More offensive prowess and all-around game presence were on full display with mainstays Jia de Guzman and Angel Canino earning the titles of Best Setter and Best Outside Hitter during the competition’s awarding ceremony.
“We are incredibly proud of what our team has accomplished,” said Ramon “Tats” Suzara, current president of the Philippine National Volleyball Federation.
“This silver medal is a tribute to our players’ and coaches’ perseverance, hard work, and dedication. We hope this inspires the next generation of Filipino volleyball players to dream big and strive for greatness,” Suzara added.
The victorious return of Alas Pilipinas is anticipated back here in the Philippines, with fans more than ready to celebrate with them in their historic feat in the AVC-sanctioned event.
Article by Gabriel Estopa