Photo from AVC
The Philippine Women's National Volleyball Team were dragged out of contention in the 2023 AVC Challenge Cup by already-eliminated Australia, bowing 18-25, 22-25, 25-21, 20-25 on Friday at the Tridharma Petrokimia Gresik in East Java, Indonesia.
The contest started off on a close note, with the Philippines trailing by just a point at 16-17 in the first set. However, the Australians launched a powerful offensive surge, leaving the Filipinas behind and claiming a 25-18 victory to secure an early lead.
The second set saw Australia take a commanding six-point advantage at 16-10. Nevertheless, the Philippine team, fueled by the determination of Eli Soyud and Faith Nisperos, made valiant efforts to close the gap.
Despite their resilience, Australia's Emma Burton, Caitlin Whincup, and Kara Inskip consistently responded with crucial plays, ultimately securing a 25-22 win and a 2-0 lead in sets.
The third set brought a glimmer of hope for the Philippines, courtesy of an outstanding performance by substitute player Eli Soyud.
With a significant lead of 24-17, the Filipinas seemed poised for a comeback. However, Burton and her Australian teammates fought back relentlessly, narrowing the score to 21-24. A critical error from Ella Schabort, who failed to execute her service, forced the match into a fourth set.
In the decisive fourth set, the Australians continued to apply pressure, and with Emma Burton leading the charge, they gained a comfortable 21-17 advantage.
Although the Philippines managed to halt the Australians' momentum momentarily with a point from Shaya Adorador, Australia's Schabort responded with back-to-back conversions. The Nationals' hopes were dashed when a net touch violation awarded Australia the match point at 24-18.
Eli Soyud and Faith Nisperos mustered two quick points, but Burton sealed the victory with a crosscourt shot, ending the match 25-20.
With a record of 1-2 in the quarterfinals phase, the Philippine Women's National Volleyball Team secured their sole victory against India in a hard-fought five-set battle earlier in the week.
However, their loss to Australia marked the end of their semifinals hopes. They will now participate in the 5th to 8th classification round, commencing tomorrow.
