PHL lady spikers drop down to bronze-medal match
Philippines' Alyssa Valdez during the game against Thailand | Pool Photo
KUALA LUMPUR – The Philippine lady spikers absorbed a neat beating from Thailand’s world-class bets for the second time in 12 days and dropped down to the bronze-medal match at the close of the 29th SEA Games volleyball competition at the MiTEC Hall 11 here Saturday.
Filipina skipper Mika Reyes and her teammates fought with great resolve but just couldn’t keep up with the Thais who were quick on every aspects of the game and unstoppable on their array of attacks.
Also showcasing great net and floor coverage, the Thais duplicated their 25-21, 25-14, 25-20 conquest of the Filipinas in the Asian Women’s Volleyball Championship in Binan, Laguna on Aug. 25 and advanced to the gold-medal match here either versus Vietnam or Indonesia.
Ranked No. 16 in the world and No. 4 in Asia, Thailand is in chase of a 13th SEAG crown.
The Filipinas enjoyed bright moments in the opening set, even leading towards the end at 17-16 on back-to-back aces by Jaja Santiago cheered by the Filipino crowd led by Foreign Affairs Secretary Allan Peter Cayetano and Cong. Pia Cayetano.
The Thais, however, zoomed through, 25-21, and were hardly challenged in the next two sets as they put in full display their talent as veteran world campaigners.
Rep. Cayetano, herself a former volleyball player, consoled the emotional Filipinas after the match.
Kokram Pingchaya, Pluemjit Thinkaow and Hattaya Bamungsuk were deadly on attacks from all angles, combining for 38 points.
The towering Santiago, meanwhile, once again paced the Filipinas with 15 points, 10 on spikes plus four aces and one block.
Alyssa Valdez, Jovelyn Gonzaga and Aby Marano chipped in 10, seven and six points, respectively.
The Thais opened the second set with a 6-3 roll and they pulled away in a hurry.
The Filipinas tried to stay in the fight in the third set but an attacking error by Gonzaga and a winner by Ajcharaporn Kongyot sent the Thais through to the championship match.
The Thais disposed of the Filipinas in one hour and 12 minutes.
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