Alas Pilipinas U16 runs out of steam as Thailand escapes in five-set thriller at AVC U-16 Championship

For five sets, Alas Pilipinas U16 went toe-to-toe with a powerhouse Thai side — matching their energy, defense, and composure in every rally. But when the match hung in the balance, experience won out.

The young Filipinas couldn’t sustain their strong start and fell short in the endgame, 25-23, 15-25, 25-23, 23-25, 8-15, against Thailand in the 2nd AVC Asian Women’s U16 Volleyball Championship on Thursday at the Prince Hamzah Sports Hall in Amman, Jordan.

It was another brave showing from the emerging national squad, who once again flashed promise but couldn’t finish the job in crunch time.

After Kim Peralta’s down-the-line hit gave the Philippines a 6-4 cushion in the fifth set, momentum swung sharply to Thailand’s side. Chayanut Inthanoo’s precision attacks and Umarin Kaewkalong’s timely service run sparked a decisive 6-0 rally that completely flipped the frame.

From there, Phitchayada Kunrat delivered back-to-back kills to bring Thailand to match point, 14-8, before Paphanan Phimphakhan sealed it with a block on Nadeth Herbon, ending a gallant Philippine stand. 

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FINAL: Alas Pilipinas girls yield to Thailand in five sets, 25-23, 15-25, 25-23, 23-25, 8-15, before heading to the 2nd AVC Asian Women’s U16 Volleyball Championship classification round for 5th-8th places. | @LanceAgcaoilINQ pic.twitter.com/QB17iX7nUp

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Despite the loss, team captain Xyz Rayco put on a commanding performance with 25 points built on 19 kills, five blocks, and an ace — carrying much of the offensive load for the young national squad.

“I felt like we were starting to give up on ourselves. I kept telling them to keep fighting, but the other team was gaining momentum while we were getting down. That’s why we lost the drive to bounce back,” Rayco said in Filipino, reflecting on the team’s collapse.

Rayco’s effort, however, wasn’t enough to prevent Alas Pilipinas from slipping to fourth place in Pool F, sending them into the classification phase with a chance to finish as high as fifth. They’ll face the third seed of Pool E next on Friday at 4 p.m. (Philippine time).

Madele Gale was a defensive force at the net, producing seven kill blocks to finish with 12 points, while Herbon also tallied 12 markers. Jhenica Sadia and Peralta added seven and six points, respectively.

Coach Edwin Leyva praised his team’s fight but admitted fatigue and balance issues caught up with them late in the match.

“In the fourth set, we really wanted to win. We fought hard to catch up, but the players were already tired, and one of them got injured, so our balance was off,” Leyva said.

He added that adjustments are already in motion for their next match: “We’ll adjust and simulate our opponents’ movements in practice later. Hopefully, we can get it right because earlier, we had some minor mistakes in reading and defending drop balls. I’m hoping for a better game tomorrow and for the players to recover well.”

Thailand, led by Umarin Kaewkalong’s 23 points, also drew key contributions from Natacha Thongkham (15), Phitchayada Kunrat (13), and Chamikon Cankawe (11) to secure the win and a spot in the crossover for fifth place.

For Alas Pilipinas, the result may sting, but the takeaway is clear — the future is bright. This generation of Filipina spikers has shown that heart and hustle can go toe-to-toe with Asia’s finest. The next step is learning how to close.

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