The Philippines women’s national volleyball team dropped to the bronze medal match after getting swept by Vietnam, 23-25, 19-25, 16-25, to close out the elimination round stages of the 31st Southeast Asian Games, Thursday at the Đại Yên Arena in Quang Ninh.
Alyssa Valdez, Jaja Santiago, and the Filipinas figured in a 22-all deadlock in the opening set before Nguyen Thị Bich Tuyen scored on an attack for the advantage. An Iris Tolenada error gave Vietnam matchpoint.
Valdez tried to give life to the PWNVT but Nguyen was not to be denied.
It was all Vietnam from there.
After taking the second set convincingly, the Vietnamese spikers raced to a 19-11 lead and never looked back to punch their return trip to the gold medal match and face defending champion Thailand.
Back in 2019, the PWNVT fell to Vietnam in four sets, 25–22, 26-28, 22–25, 14-25.
The Philippines will face nemesis Indonesia on May 21 in the battle for bronze.
