Alas Pilipinas fall short again vs Indonesia, finish 4th in SEA Games  

For Alas Pilipinas, the familiar storyline returned on the biggest stage once more — a hard-fought stand against Indonesia that ended just short of the breakthrough they desperately sought.

In a bruising, emotionally charged bronze medal match at the 33rd Southeast Asian Games, the Philippines bowed to Indonesia yet again, absorbing a narrow 26–28, 25–13, 28–30, 24–26 defeat at the Hua Mark Indoor Stadium in Bangkok. It marked the fourth straight time Alas Pilipinas fell to the same rival in a battle for bronze, and extended the country’s long wait for a SEA Games volleyball medal to two decades.

This time, the margins were painfully thin. The Filipinos played with urgency and belief, pushing every set to the edge and repeatedly threatening to flip the contest. 

But when the pressure peaked, Indonesia’s composure — forged through years of high-stakes matches — proved decisive, allowing them to secure their fourth consecutive bronze medal.

“For the country, we always want to do our best. 

I feel really bad, but the national team is much more than this,” said Brazilian head coach Jorge Souza de Brito.

The turning point came after a gut-wrenching third set that slipped away at 28–30. Refusing to fold, Alas mounted another late charge in the fourth, clawing back from a 21–23 deficit behind an Angel Canino cross-court attack and a rare Megawati Hangestri Pertiwi error at the net to force deuce.

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Heartbreak for Alas Pilipinas After Valiant Fight

Alas Pilipinas put up a gritty fight but ultimately bowed to Indonesia in the battle for bronze. Despite pushing three sets to extra points, they fell 1-3 (26-28, 25-13, 28-30, 24-26). The search for that elusive medal… pic.twitter.com/srVsUoSgcl

— Volleytrails (@volleytrails) December 15, 2025

Pertiwi, however, answered immediately. The Indonesian star ripped an off-the-block kill to bring her side to match point, only for Bella Belen to respond with a sharp cross-court hit to extend the drama. It would be the Philippines’ last stand.

Pertiwi found daylight once more against the Philippine block to restore Indonesia’s edge at 25–24. On the next sequence, Alyssa Solomon — earlier brought in to inject energy but unable to find her rhythm — was stuffed at the net, ending the match and the Filipinos’ medal hopes.

“For me, masakit. Masakit talaga kahit na first time ko kasi alam kong kaya namin eh, kaya ng team namin. Pag tiningnan kung paano kami naglaro, bawat isa alam na kaya, pero ayun, kinapos,” said Bella Belen.

The result cemented a familiar finish: fourth place for Alas Pilipinas, now for the fifth straight SEA Games edition. 

Yet the defeat also underscored both the promise and the growing pains of a young Philippine squad that flashed brilliance but struggled to close out pivotal moments — particularly the razor-thin opening and third sets that could have altered the match’s trajectory.

Canino paced the Nationals with 14 points built on 10 attacks, three kill blocks, and an ace, while Amie Provido matched her output with 14 points of her own, highlighted by four rejections.

Solomon tallied 12 points despite an inefficient night, while Belen chipped in nine off the bench, including four in the fourth set. Eya Laure and Dell Palomata added eight points apiece.

Indonesia leaned heavily on Pertiwi, who delivered 26 points on 22 attacks and four blocks.

Naisya Pratama Putri scored 12, with Maradanti Namira Tegariana and Chelsa Berliana Nurtomo contributing 11 and 10, respectively.

Once again, Alas Pilipinas walked off the court with heads high but hands empty — closer than before, yet still searching for the final pieces needed to turn valiant efforts into long-awaited SEA Games redemption.

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