MANILA – Alas Pilipinas national men’s volleyball team clinched a bronze medal finish in the second leg of the SEA V.League men’s division after a 27-25, 14-25, 22-25, 25-21, 15-12 triumph over Vietnam on Sunday night in Indonesia.
The Angiolino Frigoni-led Philippine team ended the three-day competition with a 1-2 win-loss slate, duplicating their third-place finish during the first leg held last week at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium in Manila.
Michaelo Buddin spearheaded the offense for Alas Pilipinas Men with 24 points on an impressive 22-of-35 clip in spikes, while Louie Ramirez supported him with 19-point production
Jade Disquitado added 16 points, Kim Malabunga chipped in with 11, and EJ Casaña shone in the starting setter role for Alas Pilipinas Men, which pulled off a podium finish in the second leg despite the absence of Bryan Bagunas due to an injury in the first leg.
Alas Pilipinas men managed to keep in step with Vietnam in the opening set to pull off a 27-25 win, but the Vietnamese responded with strong performances in the second and third sets to take a 2-1 set advantage.
The Philippine squad, however, answered back with a strong attacks from Buddin, Ramirez, and Disquitado in the fourth frame for a tight 25-21 win and forced a deciding fifth set.
Both teams traded hits early in the fifth set before Alas Pilipinas Men secured a 12-11 advantage, which was widened to 14-11 with a through-the-block hit by Ramirez and a off-the-block attack by Disquitado.
The Vietnamese managed to save a match point to cut the deficit to 12-14, but Alas Pilipinas Men completed the come-from-behind victory as Disquitado connected another off-the-block shot.
Pham Van Hiep finished with 29 points to lead the Vietnamese national men’s volleyball team, Nguyen Ngoc Thuan and Tran Duy Tuyen also contributed 18 and 14 points, respectively, in the losing effort.
Prior to their victory against Vietnam, Alas Pilipinas Men suffered defeats to Indonesia (26-24, 25-11, 25-15) on Friday night and against Thailand (25-18, 25-21, 25-19) on Saturday evening./PN
