Vanie Gandler and Angel Canino starred in dominant fashion as Alas Pilipinas opened its 2025 AVC Women’s Volleyball Nations Cup campaign with a resounding 25-18, 25-16, 25-14 sweep of Mongolia on Saturday at the Dong Anh Gymnasium in Hanoi, Vietnam.
Gandler had served as a service specialist in most of the Philippines’ matches during their bronze-medal run in the 2024 AVC Challenge Cup. This time around, she shone brightly in a starting role.
She delivered a game-high 16 points, built on 13 attacks, two aces, and a block.
Canino, meanwhile, reprised her role as an opposite spiker under head coach Jorge de Brito and delivered another stellar performance. She scored 11 points — echoing her breakout campaign last year when she won Best Opposite Spiker honors in the Challenge Cup, despite being a natural outside hitter.
The quartet of Dell Palomata, Eya Laure, Canino, and Gandler joined forces in a strong 6-1 finishing run to clinch the opening set, 25-18.
Alas Pilipinas capitalized on Mongolia’s errors in the second set. Holding a slim 17-14 lead, the Filipinas pulled away as the Mongolians gave up four crucial errors, while Canino and Thea Gagate chipped in key points to close the frame, 25-16.
Mongolia showed some fight early in the third set, gaining a 6-4 edge. But the Philippines responded emphatically with a 7-0 scoring spree, fueled by Gagate and Gandler, along with more unforced errors from their opponents, seizing control at 11-6.
The Filipinas never looked back and cruised to a straight-sets victory.
Bella Belen, who subbed in for Laure in the third set, made her presence felt with six points — all in that frame — including the match-winning blows: a down-the-line kill and a sharp cut shot to seal the win in just 89 minutes.
Veteran setter Jia De Guzman orchestrated the offense masterfully, distributing the ball well to her hitters. Laure, who made her return to competitive play after a seven-month hiatus, contributed seven points, while middle blockers Palomata and Gagate added six points apiece.
The Filipinas displayed composure and efficiency throughout the match, committing just 12 errors compared to Mongolia’s 19.
Alas Pilipinas will look to keep its unbeaten record intact when it faces a more formidable Indonesian squad on Sunday, still at the same venue.
Saruulgerel Ganbaatar led Mongolia with 13 points — all from attacks — while Enkhnaran Ganbold added 10 in the loss.
