Alas Pilipinas concluded its campaign at the AVC Men’s Nations Cup 2025 with a sweet 25-16, 23-25, 25-11, 25-22 win over New Zealand on Tuesday in Manama, Bahrain.
Team Philippines took 10th place in the Bahrain-hosted contest after the triumph — the same placement in the last two iterations of the tournament, named Challenge Cup, before it was rebranded this year.
They also continued to play in the Middle East country amid tensions between neighboring nations, Israel and Iran.
Prepared to go home, Alas Men braved through as the host nation assured that it was safe to resume AVC play.
It was a blowout in the opener, with Alas Men starting with an 8-3 run powered by Peng Taguibolos and Kim Malabunga’s attacks coupled by opposition errors for an early lead.
The cushion even ballooned to nine, 18-9, as the “Phenom” Marck Espejo got things going in the offense. It was also he who dealt the set-clinching point, 25-16.
But the Alas side got grounded in the next, as New Zealand came back hitting for its first set win in the competition.
Playing catch-up, Alas Men erased a 19-21 deficit, tying it at 21-apiece off Steven Rotter’s kill along with an attack error from New Zealand’s Matthew Butterfield.
Tied at 23-all, New Zealand found the much-needed offense from Wernich Pheiffer — an off-the-block hit and a kill block — for a 1-1 set score.
A vengeful Alas regrouped in the third set, cruising to a 25-11 win.
It became a close fight again in the final chapter, as Seth Grant found the service ace to put New Zealand within one, 21-20.
Espejo did what was expected of him as he found the line and the drop from 22-21 to lift the Philippines to match point, 24-21.
New Zealand tried to challenge the last play by Espejo for ball in/out, to no avail.
Mana Placid still saved one match point off a hit, 24-22, but Taguibolos was there to wrap things up with a sweet hit in the middle to close out the game that lasted one hour and 36 minutes.
Rotter delivered a total of 20 points on 17 attacks, two aces and a block, including seven digs, while Espejo concluded with 14 attack points and seven digs.
Spiker Louie Ramirez chipped in 14 from 11 attacks, two aces, and one block to go with nine digs, while Taguibolos totaled seven markers.
Libero Josh Ybanez stamped his class in defense with 18 digs and 13 receptions. (ABS-CBN News)
Caption
Alas Pilipinas’ Buds Buddin in action against New Zealand in the AVC Men’s Nations Cup. (AVC photo)