CANDON CITY, Ilocos Sur – Thea Gagate delivered her best performance of the tournament as Alas Pilipinas secured a dominant bounce-back win over Kyrgyzstan in the 2026 AVC Women’s Volleyball Cup, presented by Philippine Sports Commission, on Monday at the Candon City Arena here.
Gagate and the rest of the Philippine squad were off a heartbreaking loss to Australia, where they squandered a 2-1 set advantage before fading in the final two frames.
They then responded with urgency and intensity, overwhelming Kyrgyzstan in straight sets, 25-9, 25-11, 25-17, to improve to 2-1 in Pool A.
The 6-foot-2 middle blocker, who was limited to just seven points against Australia, knew the match carried weight beyond simply rebounding from defeat. She made sure to assert herself this time, anchoring the net defense while contributing efficiently on offense.
Gagate eventually finished with 11 points built on eight attacks, two blocks, and one ace.
Her standout performance provided a much-needed boost for Alas Pilipinas as they shift their focus to a crucial clash against South Korea on Tuesday in the tournament co-presented by the FIVB, AVC, Volleyball World, and Candon City led by Mayor Eric Singson.
“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, reflecting on their loss to Australia and the team’s quick turnaround.
“Well, iniisip lang talaga namin ‘yung sarili namin, ‘yung teammates namin. Siyempre, nandoon din ‘yung tiwala ng bawat isa and especially sa coaches. Malaking bagay kasi sila rin ‘yung naghe-help sa amin maging buo as a team.”
One of only two holdovers from the Alas Pilipinas squad that competed in the 33rd Southeast Asian Games — alongside Alyssa Solomon — Gagate understands the added responsibility that comes with her international experience.
With that in mind, she has embraced a larger leadership role both on and off the court. Gagate has been working alongside team captain Alyssa Valdez and veterans Jovelyn Gonzaga and Ces Molina in guiding a relatively new-look squad through a demanding international campaign.
“For me, gusto ko lang talaga ibigay ‘yung best ko and gusto ko lang din ma-apply ‘yung mga natutunan ko nga in the past tournaments sa national team. And hopefully, mas marami pa akong maipakita, especially sa upcoming games since important din ‘yung games na ‘yun,” said the former PVL top overall pick.
“Well, siguro puwede kong ibigay sa kanila ‘yung mga natutunan ko in the past leagues sa national team, lalo na sa mga bata. And siyempre tina-try ko rin ‘yung best ko na ibigay lahat.”
