The youthful Philippine women’s national volleyball team finished the 2023 Southeast Asia VLeague Leg 1 winless after losing to eventual bronze medalists Indonesia, 20-25, 17-25, 21-25, on Sunday at the Vinh Phuc Hall in Vietnam.
With the Nationals down by four points in the third set, 16-20, Alyssa Solomon and Bella Belen linked up for four unanswered points, tying the scoreline at 20.
The Philippines’ rally prompted Indonesia’s head coach, Eko Waluyo, to put back in his main setter, Arneta Putri, to calm things down, and she did just that.
Hany Budiarti made a down-the-line kill, followed by back-to-back points from Medi Yoku. Wilda Siti Fadhillah finished the game with a running attack.
The Filipina squad was within two points late in the opening period, 19-21, but the Indonesians got contributions from Budiarti, Medi Yoku, Putri, and Ratri Wulandari to pull away and win 25-20.
Fadhillah anchored Indonesia’s breakaway in the second set, scoring three crucial points that turned a mere 16-14 lead into a 24-17 set point.
Belen and Solomon once again carried the fight for the Philippines, as they had done in the previous two outings.
The Philippines has the youngest squad in the four-team tourney, with an average age of 20. Indonesia’s average age is 23, Vietnam’s is 25, and Thailand’s is 26.
Later, undefeated teams Vietnam and Thailand will collide in the final game of the leg to determine the champions.
Leg 2 will be held on August 11 to 13 in Thailand.
