PVL MVP Brooke Van Sickle during her Alas Pilipinas debut. –U SPORTS PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines — Alas Pilipinas dominated Australia, 25-13, 25-15, 25-20, to finish its Pool A stint on a high note in the VTV International Women’s Cup on Tuesday at Vinh Phuc Gymnasium in Vietnam.
Alas continued to rely on the trio of Brooke Van Sickle, MJ Phillips, and Leila Cruz to finish the pool stage with a 2-1 record in their third straight game.
READ: Alas Pilipinas bounces back with win over Chinese club in VTV Cup
Vanie Gandler also delivered for the second straight match as a starter for Eya Laure, who missed the game anew as she is still under the weather.
The Philippines plays in the knockout quarterfinal on Thursday, facing either Est Cola of Thailand or the second seed in Pool B.
“I’m very happy, of course. I think we’re in the top two now in our bracket. We’re gonna use this win to move forward and do better, hopefully in the next round,” said Gandler.
“We do have a lot of new players, new Filipino-American players, that’s why we keep training. Every day we practice and that’s why we joined this tournament so that slowly we get our connection.”
SCHEDULE: Alas Pilipinas at the VTV International Women’s Cup
Alleiah Malaluan and Amie Provido also stepped up to deliver the finishing touches of the last two sets.
Provido scored off a floating ball right in her entry in the final part of the second frame for the set point before Malaluan clinched the 2-0 advantage.
In the final set, Malaluan’s kill sent Alas to match point, 24-19, as Provido delivered the game-winning block to complete her impressive Alas debut.
Tia Andaya also took charge in playmaking late in the third after she was fielded for captain Jia De Guzman, who had another impressive game.
READ: Alas Pilipinas loses to Vietnam anew in VTV Cup opener
Alas started with a 6-7 deficit in the opening set before making a run capped by Phillips’ ace for a 15-8 lead and never looking back, with Van Sickle taking charge to draw the first blood.
The Filipino Spikers bounced back from a tough straight-set loss to Vietnam, bouncing back against China’s Sichuan, 25-12, 25-22, 19-25, 25-15, on Monday evening.
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Australia ended up winless in three games in Pool A, battling the top seed of Pool B.
