Alas Pilipinas U16 falls to powerhouse Chinese Taipei, falls short of semis in Asian Championship

The dream run of Alas Pilipinas U16 came to a halt on Wednesday after a determined Chinese Taipei side delivered a masterclass in consistency, sweeping the young Filipinas, 25-14, 25-21, 25-15, in the Final Eight of the 2nd AVC Asian Women’s U16 Volleyball Championship at the Prince Hamzah Sports Hall.

It was a reality check for the promising Philippine squad, which had captured attention for its grit and heart in earlier matches. Against a battle-tested Taiwanese lineup, however, Alas Pilipinas’ inexperience showed in key stretches — most notably when a strong start in the second set slipped away.

Team captain Xyz Rayco once again stood tall for the Filipinas, delivering 12 points, all off attacks, as she tried to rally her teammates during a second-set surge that had them up, 17-12. But Chinese Taipei’s poise proved decisive, unleashing a 6-0 run behind Chan Tzu-Yun and Chang Yun-Chen to reclaim momentum and take a commanding two-set lead.

“It’s a bit disappointing because we really prepared for this game, but it didn’t turn out the way we hoped,” said Rayco. “Still, we’re grateful because we gave our best despite what happened.”

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FINAL: Chinese Taipei boots Alas Pilipinas girls out of title contention, 25-14, 25-21, 25-15, in the 2nd AVC Asian Women’s U16 Volleyball Championship. pic.twitter.com/r6WZpmaUBt

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The opening frame was a struggle for the Filipinas, who found themselves overwhelmed by Chinese Taipei’s aggressive service game, yielding seven aces in just one set. By the third, Taiwan’s top scorer Chen Ting-Yi — held to only four points earlier — came alive, matching Rayco’s total with 12 points as Taipei closed out the match in dominant fashion.

Despite the result, coach Edwin Leyva chose to highlight the effort of his youthful squad, composed largely of first-time national team players drawn from across the country.

“The team’s energy kind of died down,” Leyva admitted. “I told them that volleyball is a game of emotion and momentum. When we’re happy and communicating, that’s when we play our best. Unfortunately, our energy dropped during crucial points. Some of the younger players were also dealing with minor aches, but overall, they performed really well. We just came up short.”

Chan and Chang Yun-Chen led Chinese Taipei with 18 and 17 points, respectively, as the squad joined Japan — which swept Thailand earlier — in securing semifinal berths and tickets to next year’s FIVB Volleyball Girls’ U17 World Championship in Chile.

For the Philippines, it was a learning experience more than a defeat. Nadeth Herbon added 11 points, while setter Resty Jane Olaguir orchestrated the plays and libero Frances Ramos anchored the backline with 15 digs.

Alas Pilipinas (0-2 in Pool F) will look to finish strong when it faces Thailand on Thursday at 4 p.m. (Philippine time) before entering the classification round for 5th to 8th places.

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