Kazakhs overpower Filipinas to seize 7th place in Asian volleyball

Kazakhstan beat the Philippines, 25-20, 25-16, 21-25, 21-25, 15-3, to grab seventh place in the 19th AVC Asian Women’s Senior Championship recently at the Alonte Sports Arena in Biñan City, Laguna. 

The Kazakhs defeated the Filipinas for the second time in the tournament, but the loss hardly dampen the spirits of the latter as their eighth place finish was a huge improvement from their 12th rank ending during the 2015 edition of the competition in China.

More importantly, the Philippines’ decent finish was enough to secure it a guaranteed ticket to the 2018 AVC Asian Volleyball Cup.

“Ang importante, nakapasok tayo sa top eight to qualify for next year sa AVC Asian Volleyball Cup. It will give us more exposure sa international arena,” said national coach Francis Vicente, who relied on Jovelyn Gonzaga, Jaja Santiago, Alyssa Valdez and Kim Dy to put up a gallant stand against the Kazakhs.

The 6’5” Santiago top scored for the Filipinas with 18 points, while local volleyball superstar Valdez and Gonzaga posted 11 and 10 markers, respectively, in the match that took two hours and seven minutes to finish.

The Philippines knotted the score at 20-all in the third set after a spike by Gonzaga was followed by a crosscourt hit from Dy and smash from Valdez.

A Kazakhstan miscue allowed the Filipinas to score again as Dy closed the set with a service ace. They sustained their momentum in the fourth frame, but lost steam in the fifth to yield to their opponents. JOHN BRYLLE S. ONG