Alas exits AVC Cup as Kazakhstan stuns Vietnam

CANDON CITY, Ilocos Sur — Alas Pilipinas bowed out of contention in the 2026 AVC Women’s Cup after a 25-16, 25-14, 25-10 loss to Chinese Taipei in its final group-stage match Thursday at Candon City Arena.

The Philippines finished the preliminary round with a 2-3 record after the one-hour, eight-minute defeat.

Alyssa Solomon led Alas Pilipinas with six points.

Ces Molina and Nina Ytang added three points each.

Alyssa Valdez was limited to two points.

Wan-Yun Hsu paced Chinese Taipei with 13 points as her team improved to 4-0 ahead of its final group-stage match against South Korea later Thursday.

The Philippines was third in Pool A after the loss and awaited the result of the Australia-Uzbekistan match later in the afternoon to determine its classification-round opponent and final placement.

The defeat ended the Philippines’ semifinal hopes in the continental tournament, which is being staged in Candon City from June 6–14 and features 12 of Asia’s top women’s national teams outside the Volleyball Nations League field.

In Pool B, Kazakhstan scored the tournament’s biggest upset by handing defending champion Vietnam its first AVC Women’s Cup loss, 18-25, 25-19, 23-25, 25-22, 15-13, on Friday at Candon City Arena.

The win completed Kazakhstan’s sweep of Pool B at 5-0.

Vietnam dropped to 4-1 and finished second in the group.

The result snapped Vietnam’s 23-game winning streak, which covered four editions of the tournament.

Vietnam had gone unbeaten in the 2023 AVC Challenge Cup, 2024 AVC Challenge Cup and 2025 AVC Nations Cup before winning its first four match dates in the 2026 AVC Cup.

Kristina Belova and Zhanna Syroyeshkina led Kazakhstan with 21 points each.

Tatyana Yatskiv added 20 markers, including the match-clinching off-the-block hit.

Tran Thi Thanh Thuy carried Vietnam with 25 points, all from attacks.

Kazakhstan trailed 2-1 after three sets but forced a deciding fifth set with a 25-22 fourth-set win.

The Kazakhs then overcame a 7-9 deficit in the fifth set by scoring four unanswered points, capped by Belova’s hit for an 11-9 lead.

Vietnam tied the set at 11-all on a Vo Thi Kim Thoa ace.

Yuliya Fomenko and Belova pushed Kazakhstan to match point, 14-11.

Vietnam stayed alive through a Tran Thi Thanh Thuy attack and a Belova error.

Yatskiv then delivered the final point to complete the one-hour, 55-minute comeback.

The victory also served as payback for Kazakhstan, which lost to Vietnam in last year’s semifinals and in the 2024 final.

Kazakhstan will face the second-ranked team from Pool A in the semifinals.

Vietnam will try to rebound against the top seed from Pool A.

The semifinals are scheduled Saturday, June 13, at Candon City Arena.

The competition is presented by the Philippine Sports Commission, FIVB, AVC, Volleyball World and Candon City under Mayor Eric Singson.

Sources: AVC, Volleyball World and tournament reports.