Alas Pilipinas’ semifinal hopes came to an end after suffering a straight-set loss to Chinese Taipei, 25-14, 25-21, 25-15, on Wednesday, November 5, at the Prince Hamzah Sports Hall in Amman, Jordan. The defeat dropped the Filipinas to the classification round for 5th to 8th place. With the setback, the country’s bid for a breakthrough Final Four finish at the Asian Women’s U16 Volleyball Championship fell short.
The Philippines struggled to match Chinese Taipei’s consistency and firepower at the net. While the Filipinas showed grit in the second set, crucial errors and difficulty breaking the opponent’s block proved costly. Xyz Rayco led the scoring effort with 12 points, while Nadeth Herbon supplied 11 in a losing stand.
![One more battle ahead as the Filipinas fight for best classification finish possible. [photo credit: Asian Volleyball Confederation Facebook]](http://sportsbytes.com.ph/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/577063655_122193884606346727_2833187516634648173_n.jpg)
Chinese Taipei seals Final Four spot as Philippines falters
Chinese Taipei booked its semifinal berth with the win and remained unbeaten at 2-0 in Pool F. Chan Tzu-Yun sparked the victorious side with 18 points, followed by Chang Yun-Chen with 17 and Chen Ting-Yi with 12. “For Team Philippines, it was a little difficult to win,” Chan said through a translator while acknowledging Japan as the defending champion and next opponent.
For the Philippines, the loss highlighted the need to elevate serve-receive execution and sustain scoring runs against top Asian programs. The squad hung tough in rallies but could not convert late opportunities. Despite the setback, the young core continues to gain international experience crucial for long-term development.
Alas Pilipinas moves to classification as Japan awaits Taiwan for top seed
The Filipinas will return to action Thursday at 11 a.m. against Thailand in a battle to improve final ranking. Meanwhile, Japan and Chinese Taipei are set to clash for the Pool F top seed at 1:30 p.m. Both squads have already secured spots in next year’s FIVB Volleyball Girls’ U17 World Championship in Chile.
Alas Pilipinas now shifts focus to finishing strong and maximizing competitive minutes as part of its developmental journey. The classification round offers a chance to recover momentum and close the campaign on a high note.