HIGHLIGHTS: Philippines vs Cambodia – SEA Games 2023 women's volleyball

Philippines cruises to one-sided pounding of international neophyte Cambodia

The Philippine women’s volleyball team cruised to a rousing debut in Cambodia with a brutal 25-5, 25-5, 25-5 destruction of the host nation, which fielded a women’s volleyball team for the first time in history.

Dell Palomata, Mylene Paat, and Tots Carlos took turns decimating the opposition in a clear mismatch, as the Cambodians only scored less than 5 points that did not come off errors from the Philippines.

Despite being in the active lineup, team captain Alyssa Valdez was not fielded in the game as she continues to recover from a major knee injury.

SEA GAMES | WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL

Starters:

Mylene Paat
Tots Carlos
Jema Galanza
Dell Palomata
Jia De Guzman
Kyla Atienza

Alyssa Valdez off the bench.#SEAGames32 #Cambodia2023
— Rappler Sports (@RapplerSports) May 9, 2023

SEA GAMES | WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL

Cambodia's inexperience is now obvious at this point.

12-2, Philippines.#SEAGames32 #Cambodia2023
— Rappler Sports (@RapplerSports) May 9, 2023

SEA GAMES | WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL

Galanza ace ends a 25-5 1st set walloping of the Philippines over new national team Cambodia!

All 5 Cambodia points came off PH errors.#SEAGames32 #Cambodia2023
— Rappler Sports (@RapplerSports) May 9, 2023

SEA GAMES | WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL

The Filipino fans are now calling for an Alyssa Valdez sub.

22-4, Philippines.#SEAGames32 #Cambodia2023
— Rappler Sports (@RapplerSports) May 9, 2023

SEA GAMES | WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL

Filipinos are now encouraging the Cambodian team – the first-ever created for women's volleyball in the nation's history – by waving Cambodia flags.#SEAGames32 #Cambodia2023
— Rappler Sports (@RapplerSports) May 9, 2023

SEA GAMES | WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL

FINAL: The Philippine women's volleyball team gives Cambodia a rude welcome to the international circuit with a 25-5, 25-5, 25-5 annihilation!#SEAGames32 #Cambodia2023
— Rappler Sports (@RapplerSports) May 9, 2023

Preview

The Philippine women’s volleyball team returns to take another crack at the 2023 Southeast Asian Games podium as it begins its campaign on Tuesday, May 9, 8:30 pm (Manila time) against host nation Cambodia.

Led by the country’s flag bearer and team captain Alyssa Valdez, the Philippines looks to hurdle a challenging opening match as thousands of Cambodians are expected to overwhelm the Olympic Complex Indoor Main Hall with defeaning hometown support.

However, that is the only sure thing so far as Cambodia has not fielded a women’s volleyball team in its nation’s history, per the Phnom Penh Post, which reported just last year that the country was just in its open tryouts stage.

Cambodia, however, has not spared any expense in its athlete naturalization spree, which has drawn the ire of Filipino fans and athletes alike.

For now, the women’s team will stick to what it knows best and lean on battle-tested veterans like Valdez, Jia de Guzman, Mylene Paat, and Tots Carlos to give the Philippines a winning head start.

The country has not sniffed the podium since the 2005 Manila SEA Games 18 years ago.