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Photo from SAVA
MANILA — Alas Pilipinas Men could not exact revenge against Cambodia, absorbing a straight-set 20-25, 21-25, 24-26 loss to open their 2026 SEA V Cup Leg 2 campaign on Thursday at the Jakarta International Velodrome.
The Filipino spikers also lost against the eventual Leg 1 champion, 23-25, 30-28, 20-25, 25-22, 8-15, in Pool A action of SEA V Cup’s Candon stop.
READ: SEA V Cup: Alas Pilipinas Men lose to Cambodia in 5, in must-win scenario vs. Indonesia
They now need to win against home squad Indonesia on Friday to stay alive.
Alas Men even led by five, 14-9, in the final frame, with the run highlighted by an Adrian Villados ace and a Joshua Magalaman quick attack.
However, the rising Cambodian side eventually tied at 18-all, and it was a close fight since then.
Cambodia’s Voeurn Veasna broke the 22-all deadlock first with an attack, but Jude Garcia found the answer with an off-the-block hit, keeping the Philippines in the hunt.
Veasna and Garcia exchanged attacks once more, as Set 3 went to an extension at 24-apiece, but Kuon Mom dealt the attack that put Cambodia once more on match point and Garcia’s attack sailed out, conceding the match in three sets.