The Philippine women’s volleyball team bounced back from a disappointing loss in their last outing to secure a semifinal ticket in the 32nd Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Cambodia.

The Philippines scored a dominant 25-18, 25-14, 25-13, victory over Singapore to keep its medal hopes alive in the biennial meet on Thursday, May 11, at the Olympic Complex Indoor Main Hall in Phnom Penh.

Kat Tolentino and Tots Carlos powered the country to end their Pool B campaign at no. 2 with a 2-1 card. This assured them a spot in the Top 2 of their bracket to advance in the playoffs.

For the first time in this edition of the SEA Games, team captain Alyssa Valdez saw action as she was fielded as a service specialist in the match.

This came after head coach Jorge Souza de Brito was heavily criticized by Filipino fans for not playing Valdez in their three-set loss to Vietnam on Wednesday night, May 10.

It was the volleyball star who ended the game with an off-the-block kill for her first point in the 32nd SEA Games.

The Philippines zoomed into an early 7-3 from separation in the third after an ace from Carlos. It was stretched further after a Carlos off-the-block spike for a 13-7 gap.

Mylene Paat made it a 10-point game with another attack, 21-11. Jema Galanza put the Philippines to match point followed by Valdez’s game-clinching spike.

The Philippines never got threatened in the entire match, breaking away from an 8-7 score in the second set with a 6-1 spurt, capped by a crosscourt spike of Galanza, 14-8.

They never looked back from thereon, with Dell Palomata going for a quick hit to erect a 23-14 cushion.

The Philippines will play reigning gold medalists Thailand in the semifinals on Saturday, May 13.