Alas Women fall short in late sets; Vietnam sweeps SEA V. League 2nd leg kickoff

Experienced Vietnam once again asserts mastery and dominance over Alas Pilipinas Women despite the Filipinas’ best efforts as the 2025 SEA V. League second leg kicks off

MANILA, Philippines – Alas Pilipinas Women had the tools and the talent, but just didn’t have the execution down pat as Vietnam kicked off its 2025 SEA V. League leg 2 hosting stint with a 25-14, 30-28, 25-22 sweep in Ninh Binh on Friday, August 8.

Up 17-14 in the second set, the Philippines endured a comeback effort led by Vietnamese super scorer Thi Bich Tuyen Nguyen, though Alyssa Solomon helped Alas reach set point multiple times, the first at 24-23.

Vietnam’s middle blockers, however, just had enough answers to stay alive deep into extended play, before the first crack showed from the Philippines as it went down 27-26 following a blocked attack from Cla Loresco that eventually led full circle through an attack error to gift the hosts a two-set lead, 30-28.

Deflated, Alas mirrored its first-set effort in the third, as Vietnam cruised away from a small 5-4 lead to a 14-7 double-up off a 9-3 spurt, but the Philippines regained its fire with a massive 12-5 surge to force a 19-all tie, helped up by multiple errors from the host’s second stringers.

Shaina Nitura, however, had herself an endgame to forget, as she went wide on her attack for the 23-21 Vietnam lead, then failed to get the ball over in the very next possession, 24-21, to essentially hand the win to the host nation.

The road again doesn’t get any easier for Alas Women as they next take on Thailand less than 24 hours later on Saturday, August 9, 8 pm. – Rappler.com