Alas Pilipinas U16 Clinch World Championship Berth with Historic Win Over Thailand
The future of Philippine volleyball just got a whole lot brighter! Alas Pilipinas Girls U16 clinched a historic berth in the 2026 FIVB Volleyball Girls’ U17 World Championship in Chile after a pulsating victory over regional rival Thailand U16.
In a crucial fifth-place match at the 2nd AVC Asian Women’s U16 Volleyball Championship in Amman, Jordan, the young Filipina squad secured the win in four sets: 25-23, 25-20, 19-25, 25-22. This result not only earned the Philippines its best-ever finish in the tournament (fifth place) but also claimed the final available Asian slot for the prestigious World Championship next year.
Rayco’s International Debut Becomes a 30-Point Masterpiece
Leading the charge and making a definitive statement in her international debut was team captain Xyz Rayco. The young star delivered a spectacular performance, exploding for a game-high 30 points, built on 25 kills, four blocks, and one ace.
Rayco proved to be the ultimate clutch player. In the deciding fourth set, she broke a tense 19-all deadlock and scored the team’s final three points, holding off a furious Thai rally and sealing the historic victory. This victory also served as a sweet redemption for Alas Pilipinas, who had previously lost to Thailand in the quarterfinals.
Team Effort Secures World Stage Qualification
Rayco was ably supported by a strong showing from her teammates. Nadeth Herbon contributed 16 points to the scoreboard, while middle blocker Madele Gale added 11 markers, which included a superb five kill blocks.
With this fifth-place finish, Alas Pilipinas joins continental powerhouses Korea (gold medalist), Chinese Taipei (silver medalist), Japan (fourth-ranked), and automatically qualified defending world champion China as Asia’s representatives at the U17 World Championship in 2026.
Thailand, despite a valiant effort led by Natacha Thongkham (18 points) and Chamikon Cankawe (13 points), finished sixth in the tournament.
This groundbreaking qualification signals a massive step forward for grassroots volleyball in the Philippines, promising a bright future on the global stage.
