Haikou: The Philippines defeated Bahrain, 25-22, 13-25, 25-23, 25-14, for their first victory in the 2026 Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC) Boys' U18 Championship on Monday at the Wuyuan River Gymnasium in Haikou, China.
According to Philippines News Agency, the Philippines and India, both with a 1-1 win-loss record in Pool B, will face off in a high-stakes match on Tuesday at 1 p.m. The winner of this encounter will join Iran, who holds a 2-0 record, in the quarterfinals. Only the top two teams from each of the four pools will advance to the next round of the tournament.
"They showed heart in today's match, and I told the boys that we need this win for us to improve our chances [in making it to the next round]. Next up is India and we want to give our all," said Alas Pilipinas Boys head coach Oliver Balse. With only a month and a half to prepare for the championship, Balse was glad to see his team's composure against Bahrain.
The Philippines had previously lost to Iran, 17-25, 20-25, 13-25, in their first assignment in the tournament last Saturday. However, they demonstrated resilience against Bahrain, especially during a crucial rally led by Terrence Marticion and Raphael Galapin, which gave them a 22-20 lead. Bahrain's errors contributed to the Philippines securing the third set, followed by a dominant performance in the fourth set, winning 25-14.
Balse praised his team's confidence and focus, noting their performance in the third set as a key moment. "They were tested in the third set-that's why I am happy that they responded well. I know that they're young, but I am happy to see that maturity in them. In the fourth set, what I can say is that they minimized their errors, and I think that's what I want to see: them playing meticulously," Balse added.
Marticion led the team with 16 points, including 15 attacks and a block, while Galapin and Guerra contributed 11 and 10 points, respectively. Marticion expressed his determination after the team's initial loss, stating, "I was motivated by yesterday's loss. I know that my team is really capable, and I was really hungry to win in this match. I know it will not be easy, but I really pushed myself to give my best so that our chances of making it to the next round improve."
In Pool A, Chinese Taipei leads the standings at 2-0 followed by China (1-0), Hong Kong, China (0-1), and Indonesia (0-2). Pakistan and Thailand both have 2-0 records in Pool C, while Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan have 0-2 records. Korea leads Pool D at 2-0, followed by Japan (1-0), Australia (0-1), and Saudi Arabia (0-2).
