Southeast Asia's long-reigning champion Thailand is everything that the Philippines wants to emulate in terms of volleyball supremacy in the region.
So when the Philippines dragged Thailand to an intense battle in the 30th Southeast Asian Games Thursday, the home team considered it a valuable achievement despite absorbing a 25-16, 25-22, 34-32 sweep in the end.
Thailand, an 11-time defending title-holder, had a five-point lead in Set 3 when it reached match point at 24-19. Inspired by the never-ending cheers from the crowd in the jam-packed PhilSports Arena, the Philippines unleashed an incredible 6-0 run, anchored on alternating hits from Alyssa Valdez and Jovelyn Gonzaga, to overtake and inch a point away from claiming the set.
Getting to set point against the mighty Thailand is a praise-worthy accomplishment in itself, but the rally for the tough-fighting Filipinas did not end there. The Thais moved to match point thrice in the succeeding plays, but instead of succumbing to pressure, Valdez, Majoy Baron, and Mylene Paat conspired to swing the lead back to the Philippines' side four times.
Unfortunately, the Philippines failed to get the fairytale ending that it wanted as the comeback efforts fell short, but the exhilaration that the team felt after the epic endgame battle was priceless.
"As much as possible we didn't want the game to end," said national coach Shaq delos Santos. "Even if the score reaches 100, it's okay. We'll continue fighting. It was a good game and the team gained a huge experience from it."
Why is this straight-sets thriller such a big deal for the Philippines?
Thailand has been ruling the SEA Games in the last three decades. Out of the 14 volleyball competitions in the regional meet in that stretch, Thailand won the gold 13 times. But prior to Thailand's rise to the top, the Philippines was the ASEAN volleyball queen.
The Philippines had five championships under its belt before Thailand took over in 1989. The Philippines momentarily took back the limelight in 1993 but Thailand quickly reasserted its dominance and made it to the top of the podium 11 straight times since then.
The Philippines settled for silver and bronze medals up to 2005. Then the country took a 10-year volleyball hiatus before making a reappearance in 2015. Obviously, a lot has changed throughout the decade with Vietnam and Indonesia finding its way to the podium next to Thailand, while the Philippines had to start from scratch while constantly trying to resolve issues with its national federation.
The lingering questions about the volleyball program's longevity and sustainability have yet to be answered, but the players, led by team captain Aby Maraño, make full use of the cards they are dealt with.
Unlike their Southeast Asian neighbors who have been training together for many years, the Philippine team looked like little kids who are just learning the basics of volleyball, especially when they first re-entered the international scene four years ago.
"Since 2015, we almost could not block or even touch the ball against them (Thailand). Sometimes, we don't even notice that the ball already landed. It's like they're toying with us and making us look like fools who don't know how to play volleyball. That's how it felt like," an emotional Maraño said in Filipino.
"It looked like we were not volleyball players when we were starting, like they are in the pros while we're still in elementary. We couldn't even score 15, and if we ever reach 15 points, we're already happy about it. But now, Philippine volleyball has come a long way."
In the previous SEA Games held in Singapore and Kuala Lumpur, the Philippines only won twice, both against Malaysia. It advanced to the semifinals in 2017 only to be swept by Thailand before taking a four-set beating from Vietnam to end up in fourth place.
The Philippines is still winless in the ongoing tournament after two games, but it managed to force a five-setter against Vietnam and almost salvaged a set against Thailand, an achievement that the team could not imagine doing before.
When the Philippines miraculously grabbed a set over Thailand in the first leg of the ASEAN Grand Prix back in September, it was like a dream come true for the Pinay players. They know how difficult it would be to replicate the same feat in the SEA Games, so all they ever wanted was to give the reigning champs a good game.
"Every time we win a set, we feel like we already won the championship. We cried when we first won (a set) against them," said Maraño. "People were wondering why we were so happy even if we lost. Some even got mad that we celebrated the loss."
"But for us who know volleyball, all the difficulties that we went through just to reach what Thailand can do now, to do to them what they do to us, ... for us, it's a huge honor that we were able to give Thailand a hard time, knowing that they have been winning the championship for more than 10 years here in the SEA Games."
Philippine volleyball, including its following, has grown so much in the last few years. Along with the fame are harsh criticisms every time the team fails or commits mistakes. But elevating the country's level of play is an arduous process that needs a united effort from all stakeholders, not just the athletes or coaches, to truly succeed.
For now, the Philippine players may look like they are still in school compared to other powerhouse teams, but the important thing is they are continuously learning. One day, they hope they can graduate from moral victories, finally earn legitimate wins against Southeast Asian giants like Thailand, and hopefully reclaim the country's long lost glory in the sport.
"Even if we're not winning, people still believe in us and cheer for us, so in return, we are not losing hope," said Maraño. "Even if our hips are aching, we'll still go on competing, no matter how hard, no matter how painful. That's how Filipino athletes are. Even if it hurts, we continue to fight."