MANILA – The Philippine women’s volleyball team pulled off a stunning 25-22, 26-28, 11-25, 29-27, 18-16 victory over India in the 2023 AVC Challenge Cup Pool E quarterfinals on Wednesday night in Java, Indonesia.
IlonggasAizaMaizo-Pontillas and Ma.ShayaAdorador showed the way for the Pinayspikers as they unleashed 27 and 23 markers, respectively, as they kept their semifinals hopes alive.
Faith Nisperos also made her presence felt for the national women’s volleyball team as she contributed 14 markers, most of which came in the squad’s critical run in the third and fourth set.
The Jorge Edson Souza de Brito-mentored Philippine team now has a 1-1 win-loss record in Pool E and needs to win over mighty Australia on Friday night to punch a ticket to the semifinals.
“The biggest goal I had in mind was to see these players connect and support one another on and off the court,” Souza De Brito said. “The biggest preparation for the players for the next match is to mostly rest and reset.”
Down 2-1 after three sets and were trailing 19-21 in the fourth set, Adorador unloaded three consecutive service aces in her personal 4-0 scoring run before Negrense Christine Joy Soyud put Philippines at set point, 24-21.
The Indians, however, scored three consecutive points to tie the score at 24-all before taking the match point, 26-25, off AnushreeKambrath’s kill but Maizo-Pontillas carried the scoring cudgels for Team Philippines with three straight hits to force a fifth set.
The Philippines rode on the momentum at the start of the deciding set before taking a 9-6 advantage following a connection by Adorador but the Indians unloaded four straight points to take a 10-9 advantage.
Both teams then traded conversions until the Philippines reached match point at 16-15 following a Djanel Cheng block but the Indians managed to equalize on a quick attack by AswaniKandoth.
Adorador then scored on a crosscourt to move Team Philippines closer to victory at 17-16 before Cheng targeted the backrow for the game-sealing service ace that sent the team bench into celebration.
The stunning victory over erstwhile unbeaten India served as Team Philippines’ bounce back following a 25-17, 25-20, 25-10 straight set defeat at the hands of host Indonesia on Tuesday evening./PN
