CANDON CITY — Australia head coach Russell Borgeaud praised Alas Pilipinas outside hitter Alyssa Solomon after a hard-fought Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC) Women’s Cup match on Sunday at the Candon City Arena.
Solomon delivered a standout performance with 23 points off 22 kills and one block, but Alas Pilipinas fell to Australia in a five-set thriller, 22-25, 25-23, 25-18, 15-25, 11-15.
Borgeaud said Solomon, wearing jersey No. 6, made things extremely difficult for his squad, noting that she was “excellent” throughout the match.
He also acknowledged the effort of the retooled Philippine national team, which is currently competing without several key players from previous lineups, saying they pushed Australia hard at different points in the match.
The win marked Australia’s first victory over the Philippines since the 2018 AVC tournament in Nakhon Ratchasima, snapping a three-game losing streak in their recent head-to-head meetings.
Borgeaud said he expected a tight contest and credited both teams for the intensity of play, adding that crowd energy inside the Candon City Arena played a major role in the atmosphere of the match.
Australia captain Mikaela Stevens also praised her team’s resilience, highlighting their growing chemistry as a developing squad and their ability to stay composed under pressure.
