Philippine women’s ice hockey team optimistic despite opening loss to Thailand at SEA Games

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The Philippine women’s ice hockey team started its SEA Games campaign with a tough 13-0 loss to host Thailand at the Thailand International Ice Hockey Arena Wednesday, Dec. 10. Despite the heavy defeat, the squad remains optimistic about its medal chances in the sport’s SEA Games debut.

Facing a highly skilled Thai team, the Philippines held its ground more effectively in the second and third periods, limiting the host’s scoring opportunities after conceding seven goals in the opening period. Team captain Bianca Cuevas highlighted the team’s gradual improvement over the course of the game.

Philippine team shows resilience despite lopsided defeat

“The performance got better each period,” Cuevas said. “We didn’t let in too many shots in the second and third periods. I think that’s a positive thing.” Philippine goalie Rosalyn Lim faced over 60 shots, making multiple key saves despite the final scoreline. The team’s ability to stabilize the game in the later periods reflects their growing adaptation to high-level competition.

Although the loss was significant, the Philippines remains a formidable contender in the region, having won gold in the 2025 IIHF Women’s Asia Cup — the country’s first title at that level. Alternate captain Danielle Imperial emphasized that the match against Thailand was an opportunity to gauge the team’s performance against one of the most skilled squads in the tournament.

Focus shifts to upcoming matches and medal contention

Thailand, competing in Division III A of the IIHF Women’s World Championship, proved to be a challenging opponent, but the Philippine team believes it can still contend for a medal. “If we play against the rest of the teams the way we played against Thailand, we’re seeing them again at the end of this. So, this doesn’t take away our chances of getting the medal we want. But, yeah, it’s only up from here,” Imperial added.

The Philippines will face Singapore on Friday, Dec. 12, at 4 p.m. local time, aiming to bounce back and secure a strong result to keep its medal hopes alive.