MANILA, Philippines – Alas Pilipinas put the cherry on top of an already historic 2024 Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC) Challenge Cup run, blasting young Chinese Taipei, 25-13, 25-21, 25-18, to take the semis first seed off a 4-0 pool sweep on Sunday, May 26.

After taking a rest the previous game, Eya Laure came back to topscore with 15 points, while Vanie Gandler delivered her best game yet in the tournament with 12 points.

Check the semifinal schedule here.

AVC | WATCH:

STAYING UNPREDICTABLE.

Alas team captain Jia de Guzman likes what she’s seeing as the reserves stepped up in the Philippines’ 4-0 sweep of Pool A in the preliminary phase of the #AVCChallengeCup. pic.twitter.com/KWmXcwpGRF

— Rappler Sports (@RapplerSports) May 26, 2024

AVC | WATCH:

PLAYING WITH YOUNG “VETERANS.”

Libero Dawn Catindig impressed with her younger teammates’ willingness to sacrifice towards winning ways in the #AVCChallengeCup. pic.twitter.com/4nKH7T90P3

— Rappler Sports (@RapplerSports) May 26, 2024

AVC | STATS:

Eya Laure, Vanie Gandler, and Faith Nisperos lead semis-bound Alas Pilipinas' pool sweep clincher over young Chinese Taipei!

Angel Canino, Fifi Sharma, and Sisi Rondina were rested tonight ahead of Tuesday's knockout semifinal vs Kazakhstan.#AVCChallengeCup pic.twitter.com/35UtQKCkR4

— Rappler Sports (@RapplerSports) May 26, 2024

THIRD SET

STILL UNDEFEATED! 💪🏼🏐

Alas Pilipinas sweeps its #AVCChallengeCup2024 pool, claiming Chinese Taipei as its last victim, 25-13, 25-21, 25-18, on the way to a first-seeded semifinal berth! https://t.co/UryRMxuPwZ pic.twitter.com/81VdSYrpon

— Rappler Sports (@RapplerSports) May 26, 2024

AVC | WATCH:

PERFECTLY PERFECT 😌

A Pool A sweep for Alas Pilipinas!#AVCChallengeCup pic.twitter.com/ZSMBVsSnnM

— Rappler Sports (@RapplerSports) May 26, 2024

• ALAS PILIPINAS 25-18: Eya Laure backrow hit
• ALAS PILIPINAS 24-17: F.M. Hsu off-speed
• ALAS PILIPINAS 24-16: T.Y. Weng quick attack
• ALAS PILIPINAS 24-15: Vanie Gandler down the line
• ALAS PILIPINAS 23-15: Eya Laure service error, long
• ALAS PILIPINAS 23-14: L.T. Lin service error, wide
• ALAS PILIPINAS 22-14: Faith Nisperos service error, not over
• ALAS PILIPINAS 22-13: H.Y. Hsu attack error, not over
• ALAS PILIPINAS 21-13: Eya Laure cross
• ALAS PILIPINAS 20-13: F.M. Hsu blocks Eya Laure
• ALAS PILIPINAS 20-12: Thea Gagate off-speed
• ALAS PILIPINAS 19-12: Faith Nisperos crossing fault
• ALAS PILIPINAS 19-11: Chinese Taipei ace
• ALAS PILIPINAS 19-10: Vanie Gandler service error, long
• ALAS PILIPINAS 19-9: Eya Laure cross, timeout Chinese Taipei
• ALAS PILIPINAS 18-9: Thea Gagate block
• ALAS PILIPINAS 16-9: C.J. Huang cross
• ALAS PILIPINAS 16-8: Julia Coronel miscommunication
• ALAS PILIPINAS 16-7: H.Y. Hsu down the line
• ALAS PILIPINAS 16-6: Thea Gagate quick attack, long rally
• ALAS PILIPINAS 15-6: Chinese Taipei quick attack
• ALAS PILIPINAS 15-5: Chinese Taipei net touch
• ALAS PILIPINAS 14-5: H.Y. Hsu down the line
• ALAS PILIPINAS 14-4: Vanie Gandler cross. Philippines 7-0 run
• ALAS PILIPINAS 13-4: F.M. Hsu attack error, long
• ALAS PILIPINAS 12-4: Eya Laure ace
• ALAS PILIPINAS 11-4: Vanie Gandler off the block
• ALAS PILIPINAS 10-4: Cherry Nunag quick attack
• ALAS PILIPINAS 9-4: Chinese Taipei attack error, long, in/out challenge successful
• ALAS PILIPINAS 8-4: Eya Laure down the line
• ALAS PILIPINAS 7-4: L.T Lin blocks Faith Nisperos
• ALAS PILIPINAS 7-3: Chinese Taipei miscommunication
• ALAS PILIPINAS 6-3: F.M. Hsu service error, net
• ALAS PILIPINAS 5-3: Y.C. Pao quick attack
• ALAS PILIPINAS 5-2: Thea Gagate ace
• ALAS PILIPINAS 4-2: F.M. Hsu attack error, wide
• ALAS PILIPINAS 3-2: Eya Laure cross
• ALAS PILIPINAS 2-2: F.M. Hsu through the block
• ALAS PILIPINAS 2-1: Eya Laure cross
• CHINESE TAIPEI 1-1: Faith Nisperos cross
• CHINESE TAIPEI 1-0: H.Y. Hsu off the block

SECOND SET

AVC | END OF SET 2: Alas Pilipinas doubles up on Chinese Taipei, 25-21!#AVCChallengeCup LIVE UPDATES: https://t.co/UryRMxuPwZ pic.twitter.com/k3TinEWWWJ

— Rappler Sports (@RapplerSports) May 26, 2024

• END OF SET 2: Alas Pilipinas denies a gallant Chinese Taipei fightback for the 2-0 lead, 25-21
• ALAS PILIPINAS 25-21: F.M. Hsu attack error, not over
• ALAS PILIPINAS 24-21: Faith Nisperos attack error, not over
• ALAS PILIPINAS 24-20: F.M. Hsu off the block
• ALAS PILIPINAS 24-19: Thea Gagate blocks H.Y. Hsu
• ALAS PILIPINAS 23-19: Vanie Gandler combi play
• ALAS PILIPINAS 22-19: T.Y. Weng quick attack
• ALAS PILIPINAS 22-18: F.M. Hsu cross
• ALAS PILIPINAS 22-17: F.M. Hsu attack error, long
• ALAS PILIPINAS 21-17: Vanie Gandler cross
• ALAS PILIPINAS 20-17: Vanie Gandler down the line
• ALAS PILIPINAS 19-17: Chinese Taipei joust win
• ALAS PILIPINAS 19-16: Eya Laure cross
• ALAS PILIPINAS 18-16: H.Y. Hsu cross
• ALAS PILIPINAS 18-15: C.Y. Jiang service error, long, timeout Chinese Taipei
• ALAS PILIPINAS 17-15: Y.C. Pao quick attack
• ALAS PILIPINAS 17-14: Eya Laure block
• ALAS PILIPINAS 16-14: Eya Laure cross
• ALAS PILIPINAS 15-14: C.Z. Lin service error, net
• ALAS PILIPINAS 14-14: C.Z. Lin ace
• ALAS PILIPINAS 14-13: C.Z. Lin ace
• ALAS PILIPINAS 14-12: Thea Gagate attack error, not over
• ALAS PILIPINAS 14-11: Thea Gagate quick attack
• ALAS PILIPINAS 13-11: F.M. Hsu blocks Vanie Gandler
• ALAS PILIPINAS 13-10: Faith Nisperos backrow hit
• ALAS PILIPINAS 12-10: C.Z. Lin hit off the floating ball, timeout Philippines
• ALAS PILIPINAS 12-9: C.Z. Lin running attack
• ALAS PILIPINAS 12-8: Y.J. Kung service error, long
• ALAS PILIPINAS 11-8: Cherry Nunag attack error, wide
• ALAS PILIPINAS 11-7: Y.C. Pao quick attack
• ALAS PILIPINAS 11-6: Cherry Nunag running attack
• ALAS PILIPINAS 10-6: Eya Laure ace
• ALAS PILIPINAS 9-6: Eya Laure cross
• ALAS PILIPINAS 8-6: Faith Nisperos service error, long
• ALAS PILIPINAS 8-5: Cherry Nunag hit off the floating ball
• ALAS PILIPINAS 7-5: C.J. Huang service error, long
• ALAS PILIPINAS 6-5: Y.C. Pao quick attack
• ALAS PILIPINAS 6-4: Faith Nisperos cross
• ALAS PILIPINAS 5-4: Faith Nisperos down the line
• ALAS PILIPINAS 4-4: Vanie Gandler service error, net
• ALAS PILIPINAS 4-3: Vanie Gandler cross
• ALAS PILIPINAS 3-3: F.M. Hsu ace
• ALAS PILIPINAS 3-2: Jia de Guzman double contact
• ALAS PILIPINAS 3-1: H.Y. Hsu backrow hit
• ALAS PILIPINAS 3-0: Thea Gagate blocks F.M. Hsu
• ALAS PILIPINAS 2-0: F.M. Hsu attack error, long
• ALAS PILIPINAS 1-0: Thea Gagate quick attack

FIRST SET

AVC | END OF SET 1: Alas Pilipinas takes the opening frame in dominant fashion against Chinese Taipei, 25-13!#AVCChallengeCup LIVE UPDATES: https://t.co/UryRMxuPwZ pic.twitter.com/H05d06OGHq

— Rappler Sports (@RapplerSports) May 26, 2024

• END OF SET 1: In-form Alas Pilipinas blasts young Chinese Taipei, 25-13
• ALAS PILIPINAS 25-13: F.M. Hsu attack error, long
• ALAS PILIPINAS 24-13: Eya Laure cross
• ALAS PILIPINAS 23-13: F.M. Hsu cross
• ALAS PILIPINAS 23-12: Vanie Gandler backrow hit
• ALAS PILIPINAS 22-12: L.T. Lin attack error, not over
• ALAS PILIPINAS 21-12: Faith Nisperos cross
• ALAS PILIPINAS 20-12: H.Y. Hsu cross
• ALAS PILIPINAS 20-11: Faith Nisperos cross
• ALAS PILIPINAS 19-11: Chinese Taipei quick attack
• ALAS PILIPINAS 19-10: Chinese Taipei four touches
• ALAS PILIPINAS 18-10: Jia de Guzman ace
• ALAS PILIPINAS 17-10: Jia de Guzman ace
• ALAS PILIPINAS 16-10: Thea Gagate quick attack
• ALAS PILIPINAS 15-10: C.Z. Lin blocks Faith Nisperos
• ALAS PILIPINAS 15-9: Y.C. Pao service error, long
• ALAS PILIPINAS 14-9: Eya Laure service error, net
• ALAS PILIPINAS 14-8: Vanie Gandler block, Philippines 6-0 run
• ALAS PILIPINAS 13-8: Vanie Gandler down the line, timeout Chinese Taipei
• ALAS PILIPINAS 12-8: Cherry Nunag block
• ALAS PILIPINAS 11-8: Vanie Gandler cross
• ALAS PILIPINAS 10-8: Eya Laure cross
• ALAS PILIPINAS 9-8: Faith Nisperos off the block
• ALAS PILIPINAS 8-8: F.M. Hsu cross
• ALAS PILIPINAS 8-7: Y.C. Pao attack error, long
• CHINESE TAIPEI 7-7: F.M. Hsu service error, net
• CHINESE TAIPEI 7-6: L.T Lin backrow hit
• ALAS PILIPINAS 6-6: Faith Nisperos antenna hit
• ALAS PILIPINAS 6-5: H.Y. Hsu cross
• ALAS PILIPINAS 6-4: Philippines four touches
• ALAS PILIPINAS 6-3: Faith Nisperos cross
• ALAS PILIPINAS 5-3: Vanie Gandler attack error, long
• ALAS PILIPINAS 5-2: Eya Laure down the line
• ALAS PILIPINAS 4-2: L.T. Lin attack error, long, block touch challenge successful
• ALAS PILIPINAS 3-2: Thea Gagate attack error, not over
• ALAS PILIPINAS 3-1: Thea Gagate net touch
• ALAS PILIPINAS 3-0: L.T. Lin attack error, long, timeout Chinese Taipei
• ALAS PILIPINAS 2-0: F.M. Hsu attack error, long
• ALAS PILIPINAS 1-0: Chinese Taipei attack error, not over

• ALAS PILIPINAS STARTERS: Faith Nisperos, Vanie Gandler, Eya Laure, Jia de Guzman, Thea Gagate, Cherry Nunag, Dawn Macandili-Catindig (L)

Preview

MANILA, Philippines – Amid a torrid start to the 2024 Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC) Challenge Cup that merited a historic semifinal berth, red-hot Alas Pilipinas gifted itself the luxury of ever so slightly taking its foot off the gas in its next match against Chinese Taipei on Sunday, May 26.

Already assured of at least a top two finish in Pool A with a 3-0 record, the Philippines will nonetheless aim for an elimination-round sweep in its fourth straight game day at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum against the winless Taiwanese – a collection of prospects all aged 19 and under.

After head coach Jorge Souza de Brito unleashed the likes of Vanie Gandler, Faith Nisperos, and Cherry Nunag in Alas’ semis-clinching blowout of Iran, expect the host nation to further empty its ever-ready bench and grant its top stars precious recovery time in the exhausting weeklong tournament.

The likes of Julia Coronel, Arah Panique, Dell Palomata, and Jen Nierva may likely have longer leashes against their teenage foes to show they can produce in the international arena when their numbers are called.

Will streaking Alas clean house in the pool phase or will Chinese Taipei blindside the tournament leaders on its way out?

First serve is at 7 pm. – Rappler.com