THE PHILIPPINES defeated Iran, 29-19, 19-25, 25-23, 25-18, for its first victory in Pool C Wednesday in the Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC) Girls’ U18 Championship at the Terminal 21 Hall in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand.

Xyz Ellen Rayco topscored with 19 points on 14 attacks, three blocks and two aces, followed by Ma. Ellanie Lorraine Gonzalvo with 15 points on 12 attacks and two aces in the one hour and 50-minute match.

Jhaynna Love Bulandres and Adelaine Terese Agustin chipped in nine points for the team, which clinched the bronze medal in the Princess Cup.

Sana Naghipour led the Iranians with 15 points, 13 on attacks, followed by Setayesh Nasr Esfahani with 15 points on eight points and two aces.

“We had expected Iran to play well, they beat us in the semifinal at the Asian Youth Games in Bahrain,”  said head coach Rey Karl Dimaculangan, who is assisted by Keenan Quitco and Marco Ely Maclang.

The Philippines—sent to the tournament through the Philippine Olympic Committee and supported by the Philippine Sports Commission, Boysen and Monolith—will next face Japan at 10 a.m. Thursday and Indonesia at 4 p.m. on Friday.

Dimaculangan stressed the importance of mindset.

“We need to be more focused on the game and be more aggressive, especially on the floor,” he said.

Most of the players are members of the 2026 Palarong Pambansa champion National University, while Lleses is a player of King’s Montessori of Quezon City, while Gonzalvo is with the Adamson University.

Six of the players—Rayco, Bulandres, Lleses, Princess Khaira Manzano, Irish May Mahinay and Frances Dianne Ramos—are part of the national team that qualified for the FIVB World Girls’ U17 in Chile from August 6 to 16.

Kazakhstan defeated Hong Kong, 25-3, 25-23, 25-15, in Pool B at the Nakhon Ratchasima Rajabhat University gym.

The semifinalists in the championships will qualify for the U19 world championships next year—the FIVB has yet to announce the venue.