By MARK REY MONTEJO
Alas Pilipinas displayed nerves of steel and carved out a hard-fought 25-17, 25-21, 18-25, 15-25, 15-13 escape over Chinese Taipei to book its first-ever finals berth in the 2025 AVC Women’s Volleyball Nations Cup at the Dong Anh Gymnasium in Hanoi, Vietnam Friday evening, June 13.
With its victory, the Nationals arranged a title duel against the three-peat seeking Vietnam.
The title duel – a first for PH team in 64 years – was being played at press time.
It likewise propelled the Philippines from No. 56 to 46 in the FIVB rankings after also drawing strengths from wins over Mongolia, New Zealand and Kazakhstan.
It was the Nationals’ fifth in six games, losing only once to Iran in five sets in Pool B where the former secured the top spot with a 4-1 win-loss record.
Further fueled by the wild chants by hundreds of Filipinos inside the venue, Bella Belen starred for the Jorge de Brito-mentored crew after listing 15 points off 11 kills and four blocks.
Taken No. 1 by Capital1 in the PVL Rookie Draft scored the game-clinching point from a successful block touch challenge, with the team and the fans erupting in celebration after the final call.
Like in their UAAP days, Belen’s fellow former National Lady Bulldog Alyssa Solomon backed her up with 12 points built on nine attacks, two blocks and one ace, while collegiate stars Angel Canino and Shai Nitura added nine and five points, respectively.
Shining the most in crunch time was Eya Laure who finished with nine points, five of which in the fifth set, just as Jia De Guzman orchestrated the offensive end.
It was a fitting win for the Philippines after its three-set romp of Kazakhstan on the country’s Independence Day last Thursday to advance to the semis.
Chieh Chen paced Chinese Taipei after posting 19 points with Shuang Ling Liu and Yi-Chi Chang conspiring for 31 points which all went down the drain.
Yi-Jen Liao also shone for the Taiwanese hitters with her superb playmaking but it wasn’t enough to save Chinese Taipei over the gritty Filipina side.
