Alas Pilipinas Women battled to the finish, but eight-time champion Thailand held its composure to pull off a 25-17, 19-25, 25-15, 18-25, 15-10 five-set victory in the first leg of the 2026 SEA V Cup on Saturday at Dong Anh Gymnasium in Vietnam.
Mars Alba and Alyssa Solomon were inserted into the starting lineup in the second set and sparked the Philippines. Then Bella Belen, Vange Alinsug, Thea Gagate, and Fifi Sharma also made key contributions as Alas leveled the match at one set apiece with a 25-19 win.
Thailand responded emphatically in the third set, with Sasisaporn Janthawisut leading the charge as the Thais built a commanding 18-7 cushion before cruising to regain the advantage.
The Philippines refused to fold, however, as Belen, Solomon, and Eya Laure powered the team in the fourth set to force a deciding fifth frame.
Ajcharaporn Kongyot and Kaewkalaya Kamulthala then took over in the decider, steering Thailand to the hard-fought victory.
Thailand remained unbeaten at 2-0 and will try to clinch the first-leg title against host Vietnam on Sunday at 8:00 PM (Manila time).
The Philippines, which dropped to 0-2, will look to end its campaign in the opening leg on a winning note when it faces Indonesia at 5 p.m. (Manila time).
