Alas Pilipinas Girls break barriers: From two weeks of preparation to a World stage dream 

They were not supposed to be ready. They barely had time to gel. But in a story straight out of sporting folklore, the young Alas Pilipinas Girls proved that belief, heart, and fearless execution can rewrite destiny.

The Philippines’ Under-16 girls’ volleyball team carved their name into history after stunning Thailand, 25-23, 25-20, 19-25, 25-22, to secure a fifth-place finish in the 2025 AVC Asian Women’s U16 Championship — and with it, the last Asian ticket to the 2026 FIVB Volleyball Girls’ U17 World Championship in Santiago, Chile.

For a squad assembled in haste, the result was nothing short of miraculous. Now, the Alas Girls will join Asia’s elite — Korea, Chinese Taipei, Japan, and reigning world champion China — on the global stage this August 5 to 16.

Leading the charge was 14-year-old captain Xyz Rayco, who played with the poise and fire of a veteran. The Saint Michael College of Caraga standout delivered a towering 30-point performance — 25 attacks, four blocks, and an ace — to cap off her international debut. 

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She also ranked as the tournament’s fifth top scorer with 112 total points, a remarkable feat for someone just beginning her volleyball journey.

“I’m inspired because I’m still young, but I’ve already come this far, and I know there’s still a higher level waiting for me,” Rayco shared, her words echoing the same mix of humility and hunger that fueled the team’s rise. “In the third set, we started to feel down, but in the fourth, we didn’t let it happen again because we didn’t want a repeat of our last game.”

Her coach, Edwin Leyva, could only beam with pride. What began as a hastily formed lineup turned into a unit that made the nation believe again in the promise of its grassroots program.

“We only had two weeks to prepare, and at first, we were just a ragtag team but we took it one set at a time and now our dream has come true,” said Leyva. “That’s really the icing on the cake.”

As the young Filipinas prepare to march to Chile, their victory is more than just a sporting milestone — it’s a glimpse of the country’s future in women’s volleyball. The same fire that fueled their ates in Alas Pilipinas and the senior ranks now burns in these rising stars.

From humble beginnings to a world-class stage, the Alas Pilipinas Girls are proof that sometimes, greatness doesn’t wait — it’s seized, one set at a time.

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