Heartbreak in Hanoi

It’s going to be a very quiet flight home for Alas Pilipinas.

For the first time in three years, the Philippines closed a stop of the Southeast Asian V Cup empty-handed after a listless campaign in the first leg of the 2026 edition in Hanoi, Vietnam.

Miscues and frustration over the solid net defense by Indonesia suffocated Alas in the battle for bronze as the Filipinas shot themselves in the foot after a hot start in a painful 25-20, 19-25, 22-25, 16-25, loss on Sunday at the Dong Anh Competition Hall in Hanoi, Vietnam.

New head coach Taka Minowa had a rude welcome as the veteran-laden Alas, which fielded its old core that skipped the Asian Volleyball Confederation Cup in Candon, Ilocos Sur last June, went 0-3 over the weekend in the sixth edition of the prestigious regional tournament.

Alas looked like it was poised to salvage a podium finish after a great opening frame but youngster Chelsa Berliana Nurtomo teamed up with Mediol Stiovanny Yoku and Arsela Nuari Purnama to deny the Philippines a fifth straight bronze medal haul.

Indonesia, which also dropped its first two matches, celebrated its first podium since the second leg of the 2023 edition in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

Eya Laure, Bella Belen and Alyssa Solomon set the tone in the first set and kept Alas in the game in the next three frames but the Indonesians had more gas in the tank in the endgame.

Alas kept it close in the fourth set and even went up, 13-12, after a Laure kill.

The Indonesians quickly answered with a decisive 6-0 counterattack to erect an 18-13 advantage after a Nurtomo kill block on Laure.

Alas brought it down to three, 18-15, only for Indonesia to drop a 7-1 finishing barrage punctuated by another Nurtomo kill block.

It wasn’t the result Alas wanted in the return of its celebrated core.

Alas suffered a four-set loss to Vietnam, 27-29, 17-25, 25-20, 19-25, last Friday.

The Philippines tried but failed to bring down Thailand as its decades-long losing skid over the Southeast Asian powerhouse continued in a stinging, 17-25, 25-19, 15-25, 25-18, 10-15, on Saturday.

The Pinay spikers will try to redeem themselves in the second leg in Chiang Mai, Thailand, starting 7 August.