Alas Pilipinas wrapped up its pool campaign at the 2025 VTV International Volleyball Cup on a high note, sweeping Australia in straight sets Tuesday to finish with a 2-1 record and secure a quarterfinals berth in the eight-nation tournament in Vietnam.
The dominant 25-13, 25-15, 25-20 win over the Australian national team came just a day after Alas outlasted China’s Sichuan club in four sets, underscoring the Philippine team’s growing cohesion and resilience.
The only blemish on their record came against host Vietnam—last month’s AVC Nations Cup champions and the same squad that denied Alas the title in that continental tournament’s final. Still, the bounce-back victories have shown the squad’s steady maturity on the international stage.
Alas Pilipinas will next face Est Cola, a Thai club team, in the knockout quarterfinals. The Thai side is expected to pose a challenge with its trademark speed and floor defense, but Alas enters with strong momentum.
In Tuesday’s match, MJ Phillips, Leila Cruz, Vanie Gandler, and Alleiah Malaluan led the offensive charge, contributing to the team’s blistering 39 attack points—14 more than Australia’s output. The Filipinas also capitalized on the Aussies’ 18 unforced errors.
The tournament, hosted annually in Vietnam, runs until July 5.
