The Philippines finished sixth in the AVC Cup for Women. PVL Media.
MANILA, Philippines -- (UPDATED) The Philippines put up a gallant stand, but couldn't muster a strong finish in a three-set defeat to Chinese Taipei in their final match of the 2022 AVC Cup for Women, Monday afternoon at the Philsports Arena.
The 26-28, 21-25, 21-25 result meant that the Filipinas finished in sixth place in the competition -- still an improvement from their ninth place finish in the 2018 edition of the tournament.
Ced Domingo led the Philippines with 12 points, as wing spikers Jema Galanza and Tots Carlos combined for 15 points but lacked their usual efficiency. As a team, the Filipinas managed just 39 kills to 51 for Chinese Taipei.
Despite the defeat, the Filipinas still exited the tournament with their heads held high, having exceeded all expectations with their performance.
"Thankful kami sa mga nag-step sa tournament na 'to. Talagang binigay din nila 'yung best nila. At saka talaga, 'yung team familiarity at 'yung team chemistry, napakahalaga dito sa tournament na 'to. Thank you sa mga players talaga na never na sumuko dito sa tournament," said coach Sherwin Meneses.
The Philippines was represented by the Creamline Cool Smashers, by virtue of their triumph in the 2022 Premier Volleyball League (PVL) Invitational Conference. The team plunged back into action just a week after their club competition, and had to do so without their captain, Alyssa Valdez, who dealt with an illness during the week of the AVC Cup.
The team got two wins in the group phase to qualify for the quarterfinals, then outlasted Australia in a five-set classic on Sunday afternoon to advance to the fifth-place match.
But the Filipinas ran out of steam against Chinese Taipei, lacking their usual finishing kick in the closing stretch of each set.
Chang Li-Wen led the way for Chinese Taipei with 18 points, while Chen Tzu Ya added 11 points. Chang scored nine points in the third set to stave off the Filipinas' final attempt to force an extension.
"The Philippines is a good team, they have good speed so we used strong service. Sometimes it is fast, sometimes it's short ball. They are focused on reception," said Chang.
The sixth-place finish is the Philippines' best ever in a continental competition since a fifth-place in the 3rd Asian Championship in Fukuoka, Japan in 1983.
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