Alas Pilipinas Women fall to Indonesia in SEA Games volleyball bronze medal game

The medal drought continues for the Philippines after Alas Pilipinas Women lost steam to absorb a 26-28, 25-13, 28-30, 24-26 loss to Indonesia in the 2025 SEA Games women's volleyball battle for bronze on Monday in Thailand. 

The Filipinas narrowly dropped the opening set but bounced back to take Set 2 convincingly, only to fall short in the next two sets and ultimately lose the match to settle for fourth place in the competition

With the loss, Alas Women were unable to end the country's 20-year search for a podium finish in the event.

The Filipinas made a gallant stand in the opening frame by tying things up at 26-all off a Megawati Pertiwi service error, but the latter made up for it in the next play before they denied Bella Belen to draw first blood.

Alas then regrouped in the next set to take a massive 25-13 win capped by a Dell Palomata quick play.

The next two sets featured extended battles, with young star Shaina Nitura capitalizing on an overpass to tie the third set at 28-all. However, an attack error by Angel Canino and a tip from Indonesia gave the foes the edge, putting the Philippines in a 1-2 hole.

Errors continued to haunt the Filipinas in the fourth set. Belen’s cross-court attempt went wide, giving Indonesia a 19-16 cushion, but Alas responded with a big swing capped by an Amie Provido denial, sparking a 3-0 run. 

Another Provido quick hammer tied it at 20-all, yet Megawati soared from the opposite over Canino’s hands to establish a crucial 22-20 lead.

Megawati, a longtime national team member, pushed Indonesia ahead 23-21 with a left-wing attack, but a subsequent net error and a Canino swing allowed the Philippines to tie once again at 23-all. Indonesia earned the first match point, though Belen saved one for Alas. 

Megawati, however, remained unrelenting, delivering a strong kill from the opposite side before they sealed the win with a double block on Alas' opposite hitter Alyssa Solomon.

The loss dealt the Philippines another heartbreaker as the country has yet to reach the podium since 2005, when the national team clinched a bronze medal. 

—JMB, GMA Integrated News