By MARK REY MONTEJO
Alas Pilipinas waged war but found host Vietnam a tough nut to crack and absorbed a 27-29, 17-25, 25-20, 19-25 loss in the opener of the 2026 Women’s SEA V. Cup at the Dong Anh Gymnasium in Hanoi Friday, July 31.
Team Philippines, led by former National University teammates Alyssa Solomon, Bella Belen, and Eya Laure started hot, engaging the Vietnamese in furious rallies but failed to sustain its gallant stand to allow the host squad to take the set. And the next frame.
They found a ray of hope in the third which the Nationals dominated and forced a fourth set.
Again, they failed to keep pace – no thanks to the awesome performance of Trần Thị Thanh Thúy (T4).
The Nationals hope to bounce back when they tangle with Thailand, a 25-21, 32-34, 25-21, 25-19 winner over Indonesia, on Saturday, Aug. 1, at the same venue.
The loss extended the long losing streak of the Philippines to Vietnam to 15 – a futility that started in 2019.
It can be remembered that the Jia De Guzman-skippered Alas has last won – a straight set – against the Vietnamese way back Oct. 4, 2019 in the second leg of the competition (then called ASEAN Gran Prix) held in Santa Rosa, Laguna.
