Defending champion Thailand shows no mercy in PH rout

Thailand gave no quarter to the Philippine national women’s volleyball team as the SEA Games queens cruised to a 25-15, 25-13, 25-14 blowout win.

Team Philippines, which is coming off a straight-sets victory. over Malaysia, will next face Indonesia on Tuesday, May 17, 12 pm. Thailand has yet to be dislodged from its first-place throne since 1995.

(READ: Thai juggernaut reasserts mastery over PH in SEA Games women’s volleyball)

PH men’s volleyball suffers shock loss

The Philippine men’s volleyball team absorbed a stunning four-set loss to Cambodia in its SEA Games opener, 21-25, 26-24, 28-30, 27-29, on Saturday, May 14.

Winning silver in the 2019 SEA Games, the Philippines is in jeopardy of missing the podium as it dropped to third place in the three-team Group B.

(READ: PH men’s volleyball suffers shock loss to Cambodia in SEA Games opener)

Preview

A daunting task awaits the Philippine women’s volleyball team in the Southeast Asian Games in Vietnam as it locks horns with defending champion Thailand on Saturday, May 14.

The Philippines opened its campaign for its first podium finish since 2005 on the right foot with a swift 25-14, 25-20, 25-15 win over Malaysia a day ago.

Jaja Santiago and Ces Molina led the way for the Filipinas with their double-digit outings, while Mylene Paat, Alyssa Valdez, and Ria Meneses also delivered.

But Thailand poses a far bigger problem than what Malaysia did.

The Thais have won the last 12 gold medals in women’s volleyball and have not lost a game – or even a set – since the 2011 edition of the regional meet.

Meanwhile, the Philippine men’s volleyball team starts its bid for another medal after a surprising silver finish in the 2019 SEA Games as it goes up against Cambodia.

The Filipinos will be bannered by standouts Marck Espejo, Bryan Bagunas, John Vic de Guzman, Joshua Umandal, Rex Intal, and Joshua Retamar.

Game time for the men’s squad is 12 pm, while the women’s team takes the court at 3 pm, both Manila time.

– Rappler.com