Progella, Pagara complete comeback vs China to clinch Asiad bronze in women’s beach volley

Khy Progella and Sofiah Pagara completed a sensational comeback against their Chinese opponents, 13-21, 23-21, 15-13, to win the bronze medal in the women’s beach volleyball tournament of the 20th Asian Games on Friday at the Hekinan Ryokuchi Beach Court.

Playing catch-up in the third frame, the Alas Pilipinas duo erased an early four-point, 8-4 lead built by Jie Dong and Shuting Cao before eventually tying the match at 10-all.

The Chinese side quickly responded with kills to take a 12-10 cushion, but Progella and Pagara refused to give up. The Filipinas unleashed a 4-0 run, sparked by a service error from their opponents, before finding the expanded gap on back-to-back kills to reach bronze medal point, 14-12.

The Chinese pair saved one match point, but an overpass gifted Progella and Pagara the bronze medal as the star duo secured the Philippines’ lone medal in volleyball.

Before that, trailing by one set, Progella and Pagara outlasted Dong and Cao in extended Set 2. Pagara found the spot to save match point, 20-apiece, just as Dong’s attack went wide, 21-20.

Cao nailed a quick decisive kill to knot the count, 21-all, but a down-the-line kill from the Philippines and an attack error from the other side leveled the match and put the encounter into a decider.

It was a triumphant podium finish for Progella and Pagara, who saw their gold medal hopes dashed by Thailand’s Worapeerachayakorn Kongphopsarutawadee and Taravadee Naraphornrapat on Thursday.