The Philippine Women’s National Volleyball Team faltered against also-ran Australia, 18-25, 22-25, 25-21, 20-25, to bow out of 2023 AVC Challenge Cup semifinals contention, Friday at the Tridharma Petrokimia Gresik in East Java, Indonesia.
Ahead by just a point, Australian opposite hitter Emma Burton dropped three straight points for a 21-17 lead in the fourth set before Shaya Adorador stopped the bleeding for the Philippines with a point, 18-21.
Then it was Ella Schabort’s turn with back-to-back conversions before a crucial net touch violation by the Nationals that sent Australia to match point, 24-18.
Eli Soyud and Faith Nisperos managed to put together two quick points to keep the Philippines alive but Burton went crosscourt for the clincher.
The Philippines was just a point behind in the first set, 16-17, when the Aussies launched a powerful finishing blast to seize the early lead, 25-18.
Australia led by as much as six in the second set, 16-10, but Soyud and Nisperos willed the Philippines back to within two multiple times.
However, Burton, Caitlin Whincup, and Kara Inskip always had answers in them to give Australia the dominant 2-0 lead, 25-22.
Thanks to the spark provided Eli Soyud off the bench, the Philippines came out strong in the third to reach set point with a huge separation, 24-17.
Burton, though, tried to lift the Australians as they inched within three via four straight points, 21-24, but Schabort flunked her service in the ensuing play to force a fourth stanza.
The Nationals finished the quarterfinals phase with a 1-2 record, their only win coming from India last Wednesday via a five-set tussle.
The Philippines will figure in the 5th to 8th classification round starting tomorrow.
