MANILA, Philippines – Alas Pilipinas dropped a hard-fought four-set match to Chinese Taipei, 19–25, 25–23, 28–30, 20–25, on Wednesday, June 18, 2025, in Manama, Bahrain, ending their title hopes and sending them to the classification round of the AVC Nations Cup.
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| Alas Pilipinas ends their AVC Nations Cup run with a tough four-set loss to Chinese Taipei, bowing out of title contention but carrying pride and lessons forward. Photo Credit: GMA Sports PH |
With their backs against the wall in a must-win game against Chinese Taipei, Alas Pilipinas came out firing, building an early lead and setting the tone with aggressive play.
It was a sigh of relief for Filipino fans as team captain Marck Espejo was cleared to play and suited up for the crucial match.
Espejo, who had struggled before exiting with an injury against Pakistan, redeemed himself with a standout defensive performance.
After a tight back-and-forth, Chinese Taipei snatched the lead and took full advantage of the Philippines’ unforced errors, particularly a string of overcooked serves.
Alas Pilipinas struggled to break through the towering wall of Wang Ping Hsun and Chang Yu Chen, as even top scorer Leo Ordiales was repeatedly denied by the formidable Chinese Taipei blockers.
After taking an early lead in the opener, Alas Pilipinas eventually fell to the more composed Chinese Taipei side, 19–25.
The second set showed improvement for Team Pilipinas, as Espejo and Ordiales began to find their rhythm, while Peng Taguibolos stepped up to help establish a solid lead.
Chinese Taipei rallied to tie the score at 13, but their momentum was short-lived as Espejo and Ordiales finally broke through the Taiwanese defense and regained control.
It was a nail-biter for the Philippines as Chinese Taipei pulled even at the 20-point mark, setting the stage for a fierce final push in the second set.
After an intense closing stretch, Alas Pilipinas held their ground and edged out Chinese Taipei to take the second set, 25–23.
Set three started on a positive note for Team Philippines, as they once again took the lead over Chinese Taipei.
One of the standout moments for Alas Pilipinas came from Espejo, who delivered a powerful spike straight through the face of Chang from the center back row, electrifying the crowd.
Both squads traded sideouts midway through the third set, but the momentum slightly shifted in favor of Chinese Taipei as they managed to take the lead.
Much like the previous set, both teams battled fiercely in a tightly contested final stretch, trading blows and exchanging deadlocks until they reached a tense 28-all standoff.
Unfortunately for Alas Pilipinas, team captain Espejo overshot a crucial attack, handing the third set to the rival team, 30–28.
Team Pilipinas had a rough start in the fourth set, allowing Taiwanese spikers to unleash a series of powerful attacks that put the Filipinos on the back foot early.
The nationals appeared drained in the fourth set, allowing Taiwanese attacks to pierce through their defense while struggling with reception and floor coverage.
Espejo went down with another apparent injury in the final moments of the fourth set, but the team captain chose to stay on the court and finish the match, showing grit and leadership to the very end.
Chinese Taipei posted their biggest lead of the game, pinning Philippines down and winning the fourth set 25-20.
With Alas Pilipinas officially out of title contention, the nationals are now relegated to the classification round of the AVC Nations Cup.
— Joey Boy Capos, The Summit Express