Alas Pilipinas during the AVC Women’s Nations Cup final against Vietnam.–AVC PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines — Alas Pilipinas’ first-ever Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC) championship game appearance was a testament to the growth of the Philippine women’s volleyball program.
Three-peat Women’s Nations Cup champion Vietnam may have stamped its class, dominating Alas in the gold medal match, 15-25, 17-25, 14-25, on Saturday evening in front of a roaring Hanoi crowd at Dong Anh Arena.
READ: Alas Pilipinas players bag awards in AVC Nations Cup
It was still a silver medal that shone like gold for team captain Jia De Guzman as the podium finish marked the program’s first runner-up finish since the 1997 Southeast Asian Games, proving that the future is bright for the Alas program, which was only established last year.
“It means everything, honestly, because it’s hard to see the growth of the sport and our team without the result. We didn’t expect to get a silver coming into this tournament. We just knew that we had to give our best because last year we got the bronze,” said De Guzman, who has been the captain of Alas since last year’s historic bronze medal finish.
Alas Pilipinas’ Jia de Guzman during the AVC Nations Cup final against Vietnam. –AVC PHOTO
De Guzman, who won the tournament’s Best Setter for the second straight year, emphasized that this silver will inspire them to continue bringing more honor to Philippine volleyball in this busy 2025 calendar, which includes the Thailand SEA Games in December, where they will try to end a 20-year medal drought.
“This silver inspires us to go back to training and keep working together as a team and to keep going for this long-term program because, slowly but surely, we’re rising as a country in volleyball so I’m really proud of the team,” said the 30-year-old playmaker in Filipino.
Alas coach Jorge Souza De Brito said the squad’s back-to-back podium finishes on the Asian stage mean the program is on the right track.
READ: Alas Pilipinas takes home silver as Vietnam rules AVC Nations Cup
“We are happy with the second place. We’re on the way. It’s a process. I’m happy and proud of all the players and coaching staff, all the support also that you have from the federation. It’s really amazing.Really really good players that you have to develop them here and the group will become stronger and stronger year after year. I’m sure of it,” De Brito said.
“They are amazing. I hope you can keep all of them because they trust the process, they are really strong and they all keep the focus even if they are not performing good, they are always trying. And this part is important because it’s not only volleyball, you play for the flag and you show your character inside. It’s something you have to grow and build for the team.”
Angel Canino won the Best Outside Spiker, a year after emerging as the tournament’s top opposite hitter, while Dell Palomata earned her first overseas nod with the Best Middle Blocker plum.
De Guzman couldn’t be prouder of her teammates, who all played vital roles in the finals run.
“Sobrang deserved talaga ni Angel, ni Dell, actually kung pwede nga lahat mabigyan ng award talaga as in everyone works so hard in training kahit nung hindi pa kami nagttraining together everyone was just really preparing for this national team period so nakita naman ngayon na we’re just really trying to find our rhythm together as a team,” she said.
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“It’s only the first tournament marami pa po kaming tao sa pool na gustong magpakitang gilas so see you guys in the next tournament.”
