The Philippine men’s volleyball team earned its breakthrough win at the expense of Malaysia, 20-25, 25-21, 24-26, 17-15, in the 5th to 8th place classification round of the 32nd Phnom Penh Southeast Asian Games volleyball competition Sunday at the Olympic Complex Indoor Main Hall.
Youngblood Jade Disquitado delivered crucial hits in the deciding frame including the go-ahead off-the-block kill in the extended fifth set for the Filipino spikers, who arrested a three-game losing skid in the groups stage.
The Nationals face Singapore, which handed them a straight sets beatdown last Saturday, in the battle for fifth on Monday.
Singapore beat Myanmar, 25-23, 27-25, 25-22, in the other classification match.
The Filipinos battled the Malaysians in a nip-and-tuck race to the finish in the fifth set. Jay Rack de la Noche pushed the Philippines at match point on a hit, 14-13, only to see Malaysia save two match points.
Disquitado put Filipinos back on the hilt as Malaysia squandered its chance to extend the set further with an attack error.
The Malaysians square off with the Burmese for seventh place.
