Alas Women overcome Hong Kong to finish 9th at Asian Games

The Alas Pilipinas Women took care of business in all of their classification-round matches at the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games to finish ninth in the continental meet.

Against Hong Kong, the Filipina spikers took the first two sets with relative ease before claiming the last in a thrilling extended set, 25-21, 25-9, 30-28, in the ninth-place match, Tuesday at the Okazaki Chuo Sogo Park Gymnasium.

Bella Belen’s variety of attacks ultimately spelled the difference—with her and Angel Canino’s sharp hits not getting through the floor and net defenses of Hong Kong, the Capital1 star showed her spiking prowess.

The National University product, at the 28-27 mark where Hong Kong led and had its fifth set point edge, uncorked a drop shot that knotted things up at 28-apiece.

Playing catch up in all of extension, the Alas Women eventually tasted their first match point advantage after a Belen push on Wan Wun Wong’s block, 29-28.

Belen then unleashed a long shot for the game-clinching point, 30-28, closing the curtains on their Asiad campaign on a high note with three straight wins.

Before that, the Nationals actually led by four midway through the final frame, 14-10, before Hong Kong took the driver’s seat at the 16-15 mark and made the match competitive.

The three-time UAAP champion and MVP tallied 18 points built on 16 attacks, one block, and one ace, while fellow ex-UAAP rookie-MVP Canino tallied 17 points on 15 attacks and two blocks.

Alyssa Solomon added 11 points on 10 spikes and one from the service line, while Amie Provido chipped in six markers.

Hong Kong, despite its valiant effort against the Philippines, drop down to 10th place in the regional showpiece.