BIÑAN, Laguna – The Philippines battled its way back from a two-set down but lost steam in the deciding fifth set and absorbed a 25-20, 25-16, 21-25, 21-25, 15-3, defeat to Kazakhstan in the 19th Asian Senior Women’s Volleyball Championships yesterday at the Alonte Sports Arena here.
The Nationals fought gallantly in the third and fourth sets courtesy of Jaja Santiago, Alyssa Valdez, and Jovelyn Gonzaga but they ran out of bullets in the fifth allowing the Kazakhs to escape with the win.
Though the Nationals just finished 8th, they bettered their 12th place in the 2013 and 2015 editions. They likewise matched the country’s best finish in 1995, 1997, and 2003.
Santiago and Gonzaga scored 18 and 10 points, including combined 24 attacks, while Valdez added 11 points.
Kazakhstan overpowered the Nationals in attacks (66-51) and blocks (12-7), while the Filipinos made seven aces, three coming from Kim Fajardo.