Alas Pilipinas Men closed their 2025 AVC Men’s Nations Cup campaign with a hard-fought 25-16, 23-25, 25-11, 25-22 victory over New Zealand on Tuesday night (Manila time) at the Isa Bin Rashed Hall in Manama, Bahrain—giving the national team a much-needed morale boost heading into their biggest challenge yet.
With the win, the Philippines secured a 10th-place finish for the third consecutive edition of the tournament, matching their results in the 2022 and 2023 AVC campaigns held in Taiwan and Bahrain, respectively.
The breakthrough win was especially crucial coming off a straight-set loss to Thailand last weekend. More importantly, it sets the tone for the Nationals with just under three months before they host the 2025 FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship from September 12 to 28 at the SM Mall of Asia Arena and Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Steven Rotter led the way for the Filipinos, erupting for 20 points off 17 attacks, two aces, and a block, while also tallying seven excellent digs in a composed, all-around effort. The performance solidified his role as one of the cornerstones of the Alas squad moving forward.
Team captain Marck Espejo and Louie Ramirez also delivered 14 points apiece, providing the veteran leadership and firepower that helped the Nationals recover after dropping the second set.
Alas Pilipinas came out with urgency in the opening frame, racing to an 18-9 lead off well-timed kills from Ramirez, Leo Ordiales, and Espejo. They kept the momentum going to take a dominant first set, 25-16.
New Zealand responded in the second set with more aggression at the net, narrowly edging the Philippines 25-23 to level the match.
But the Filipinos quickly regrouped. A resounding crosscourt hit by Rotter, a service ace from Ramirez, and a crafty 1-2 play by setter Owa Retamar sparked a commanding 19-9 cushion in the third. From there, the Nationals cruised to a 25-11 set win, capped by a 6-2 finishing run punctuated by an Espejo hammer to regain the lead, 2-1.
The Kiwis threatened again in the fourth set, pulling within one point, 21-20, after back-to-back blocks from Luke McIntosh and a clutch ace from Seth Grant. But Alas Pilipinas held firm under pressure. Espejo delivered two crucial kills to fend off the rally, and middle blocker Peng Taguibolos finished the job with a quick hit to close the match and seal the Filipinos’ lone win of the tournament.
Taguibolos contributed seven points on six attacks and a block, while Lloyd Josafat added four. Josh Ybanez, a two-time UAAP MVP, anchored the floor defense with 18 excellent digs. Retamar, orchestrating the offense, also added four markers.
Though the win came late in the campaign, it offered a timely reminder of the team’s potential and cohesion, especially with the stakes set to rise in the coming months.
Up next for the Nationals is the first leg of the 2025 Southeast Asia V.League from July 9 to 13 in Candon City, Ilocos Sur, where they aim to sustain their momentum. After that, they’ll embark on a European training camp featuring tune-up matches against fellow World Championship contenders Romania, Portugal, and Chile.
New Zealand, making its AVC Men’s Nations Cup debut, finished winless in last place (11th), with their only set victory coming against the Philippines. Grant led the Kiwis with 13 points, while Andrew Salmon added 12.
