Caera Celis brings the same fire in leading Alas Pilipinas Girls’ offense but her effort has come to naught in a 21-25, 18-25, 14-25, loss to South Korea in the Round of 16 of the FIVB Volleyball Girls U17 World Championship.
PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF Volleyball World
LOS ANDES, Chile — Alas Pilipinas showed flashes of brilliance against world power South Korea but passion and perseverance proved insufficient as the Philippines absorbed a 25-21, 25-18, 25-14 loss on Wednesday in the FIVB Volleyball Girls Under 17 World Championship at the Liceo Mixto Los Andes.
With Xyz Rayco’s steady play and Caera Celis’ persistent offense, Alas Pilipinas Girls held slim leads in several instances.
The Philippines managed to apply some pressure with timely attacks and showed improved cohesion during extended rallies, but Korea was simply superior in every facet of the game.
While Alas Pilipinas — supported by the Philippine Olympic Committee, Philippine Sports Commission and Asics — kept it close in blocks, 5-7, and hit four aces against six, the Koreans’ ability to score off-system gave them a 45-29 advantage in attacks.
Soyeon Son had 19 points, including 13 attacks, while Minseo Eo scored 15, with 14 coming from attacks as Korea advanced to the quarterfinals against Turkiye, which swept Japan, 25-18, 25-7, 25-23.
Celis again paced the Philippines with 14 points on12 attacks, a block and an ace, while Rayco had a near all-around performance, scoring nine and contributing on defense.
The Philippines gears up for battle against Japan, another solid squad, in the playoffs for 9th to 16th on Thursday in the capital city Santiago after the tournament break on Wednesday.
In Santiago, Thailand pulled off the upset of the tournament so far as the Asian power that underachieved in pool play with a 2-3 win-loss record in Pool A turned back Pool C winner Poland, 25-19, 25-21, 10-25, 25-23.
China, meanwhile, suffered its first dropped set of the tournament, overcoming a stiff challenge from the Dominican Republic, 25-18, 17-25, 25-19, 25-17, in San Felipe.
Chinese Taipei routed Venezuela, 25-21, 25-19, 25-22, making it four Asian teams in the final eight.
The United States extended its streak without dropping a set, defeating Argentina, 25-15, 25-23, 25-15.
Italy marched on with a 25-13, 25-11, 25-13 whipping of Peru, while Croatia clobbered Czechia 25-21, 25-21, 25-19.
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