MANILA – The Philippine women’s volleyball team displayed its best performance in the 30th Southeast Asian Games but this was still not enough. It ended up at fourth place among the four last remaining teams.
The national team failed to salvage a bronze medal finish. It was defeated by Indonesia, 25-20, 24-26, 25-15, 20-25, 16-14, in the bronze medal match at the Philsports Arena in Pasig City.
Ejiya Laure, Mika Reyes, Mylene Paat, Frances Molina, Jovelyn Gonzaga, and Dawn Macandili carried the cudgels for the Philippines in the defeat with veterans Alyssa Valdez, Mary Joy Baron and Ilongga Abigail Marano struggling to find their form.
Trailing by a set heading into the fourth frame, Laure, Reyes, Gonzaga and Molina took turns on the offensive end as the Philippines established a double-digit edge before surviving a late set run by Indons to force a decider.
In the fifth set, the Philippines seemed headed to completing its come-from-behind triumph with Laure, Reyes and Paat connecting crucial points to establish a 14-12 advantage.
The Indonesians, however, relied on their experience as they slowly chipped in to the advantage of the Philippines for a 14-all count before completing the turnaround with two more points.
With the defeat, the Philippine women’s volleyball team’s stretch of not making a podium finish in the SEA Games since their third place finish in 2005 remains./PN
