Alas Pilipinas concluded their 2024 AVC Challenge Cup for Men campaign in 10th place, falling to last year's champions, Thailand, in the battle for ninth place, 20-25, 25-23, 22-25, 20-25, Friday evening (Manila time) at Isa Sport City Hall in Bahrain.
For the second consecutive year, the Philippines secured 10th place, mirroring their performance from last year in Taiwan.
In the second set, Alas displayed impressive late-game execution. Kim Malabunga made a smart play by pushing the ball back after Owa Retamar's 1-2 play was blocked, followed by Marck Espejo’s sharp crosscourt kill, tying the set at 25-23.
However, Thailand’s captain Khonhan Amornthep led his team in the third set, securing a 25-22 win and moving one step closer to victory.
The Philippines fought back in the fourth set with contributions from Noel Kampton and Espejo, but Amornthep, along with Jenthaisong Supakorn, lifted Thailand to a final victory in one hour and 56 minutes.
Espejo was a standout for Alas, scoring 16 points, following his 20-point performance against Indonesia, though it wasn't enough to clinch the win. Jade Disquitado, who started as the opposite spiker, added 14 points, while Lloyd Josafat and Malabunga contributed nine and seven points, respectively. Jau Umandal, who played only in the first two sets, chipped in eight points, and Noel Kampton scored six points in limited action during the fourth set.
Amornthep was the star for Thailand, scoring 30 points, including 10 in both the third and fourth sets, with Supakorn adding 15 points.
The match was closely contested, but errors proved to be a critical factor. The Filipinos committed 31 errors compared to the Thais' 22. Despite winning the spiking battle 57-55, Alas narrowly lost in blocking and serving, 6-7 and 2-5, respectively.
Photo from AVC
