MANILA – Team Philippines ended a series of heartbreaks in the 14th Asian Women’s U18 Volleyball Championship with a 25-20, 25-19, 31-29 sweep of Australia in the consolation round on Sunday at the Nakhon Pathom Sports Centre Gymnasium in Nakhon Pathom, Thailand.
Ana Francesca Hermosura spearheaded the offense with 12 points, Kimberly Chelmei Rubin and Rhose Viane Almendralejo chipped in seven markers apiece, while Dona Mae De Leon contributed five markers for the Philippines.
“Sobrang saya,” the Iloilo City-native Hermosura said. “We are a team composed of players from ages 13 to 16, we are a young team but we are doing our best each game to represent the country well.”
The straight-set victory allowed the Jerry Yee-mentored national girls U-18 team to move on to the battle-for-ninth place game against India on Monday morning. The Pinay spikers previously lost to India in the group stage.
Trailing 11-18 in the opening set, Philippines went on a massive run behind Hermosura and Jothea Ramos for a 20-all count. Consecutive errors by Australia, back-to-back aces by Hermosura and an attack by De Leon completed Pinays fightback.
Both teams traded rallies in the second set with the score tied at 19-all before Philippines went on a finisher behind an attack by Rubin, back-to-back hits by De Leon, a service ace by Ramos and a drop shot by Rubin for a 2-0 set lead.
Team Philippines was scorching to start the third set and were on top, 16-11, but Australia made its last push to force several deadlocks with last at 29-all but a block by Rhose Almendralejo and an attack error by Aussies ended the game for the Pinays.
“Sa wakas nakaisa rin kami,” said assistant coach Roberto Calamba Jr. “Credit goes to the players na kahit na natalo kami in our group stage matches at kahit na ina-araw araw sila ng mga bashers na kapwa Pilipino pa man din ay hindi sila pinanghinaan ng loob.”
“It is also timely that the team got its first win on Independence Day. These young girls hope that they made the country proud,” he added. “We will celebrate this and prepare for our final game on Monday hoping that we end this tournament on a winning note.”
Prior to beating the Australians, the Western Visayas-reinforced Philippines U-18 squad suffered consecutive defeats in their group stage matches against India, Kazakhstan, China, Chinese-Taipei and defending champions Japan.
On the part of Australia, they finished the week-long U-18 girls volleyball competition at 11th and last place after dropping all of their group stage matches and losing to the Philippines./PN
