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Philippines bows to Indonesia heading to QF

The Philippine Women's National Volleyball Team put up a valiant effort but ultimately succumbed to host nation Indonesia in a straight-set defeat, with scores of 17-25, 20-25, and 10-25. 


 


Despite the loss, the Philippine team secured their place in the 2023 AVC Challenge Cup quarterfinals as the Pool A second seed. The thrilling encounter took place on Tuesday night at the Tri Dharma Petrokimia Gresik Gymnasium in East Java.


 


From the outset, the Philippines showcased their determination by keeping pace with their Indonesian counterparts. The teams were deadlocked at 14-all in the first set, but Indonesia's Megawati Hangestri and Mediol Yoku led the charge, enabling their team to seize the upper hand and secure a 25-17 victory.


 


Undeterred, Faith Nisperos and Aiza Maizo-Pointillas spearheaded a spirited comeback in the second set. Overcoming a significant deficit of 14-20, they rallied their teammates and reduced the margin to a mere one point, at 19-20. The Philippine team also received assistance from their opponents, who committed two errors—an attack miscue and a centerline fault. However, Megawati's exceptional performance swung the momentum back in Indonesia's favor. With a blistering 5-1 run, Indonesia clinched the set 25-20, gaining a commanding 2-0 lead.


 


The third set belonged entirely to Indonesia, as they swiftly surged to a dominant 10-3 advantage and continued their relentless pursuit of victory. Despite their best efforts, the Filipinos struggled to mount a comeback, encountering their own errors and succumbing to the relentless attacks of the Indonesians. The set concluded with Indonesia's resounding 25-10 triumph.


 


Megawati emerged as the top scorer of the match, amassing 13 points, with eight of them coming in the second set. Medi Yoku closely followed with 11 points, while Captain Wilda Nurfadilah and substitute player Hany Budiarti made significant contributions with eight and seven points, respectively. For the Philippine team, Pontillas showcased her prowess with nine points, despite not taking part in the third set. Nisperos provided valuable support with eight points, and Shaya Adorador contributed seven.


 


Notably, middle blockers AC Miner and Ezra Madrigal, who dazzled fans in their previous game, faced more formidable challenges this time, limiting their scoring to four and three points, respectively.


 


Having also defeated Macau on Sunday, Indonesia clinched the top spot in Pool A, solidifying their position as a formidable contender in the tournament.


 


The Philippine team entered the match with the same starting lineup that propelled them to victory against Macau. 


 


Setter Djanel Cheng orchestrated the team's offense, while wing spikers Nisperos, Pontillas, and Adorador provided powerful attacks. The middle blocker duo of Madrigal and Miner aimed to stifle the opposing team's offense, and libero Bang Pineda anchored the defense.


 


Looking ahead, the Philippine Women's National Volleyball Team prepares to face Pool C leader India in the quarterfinals, scheduled for Wednesday at 5:30 pm (Manila time). 


 


Photo from AVC

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