Philippine Men's Beach Volleyball team reaches Quarterfinals in Thailand

Jayrack De La Noche and Alexander Iraya fell to Thailand 3's Narakorn Chumaphai and Nopphawit Puttarong, 18-21, 10-21, in the quarterfinals to drop out of the Fourth Asian U21 Beach Volleyball Championships in Nakhon Pathom, Thailand, on Wednesday afternoon.

But for the De La Noche-Iraya pair, reaching the tournament’s last eight was an achievement no other Philippine team has ever pulled off in the past.

The Filipinos, seeded No. 7 in the tournament, stunned No. 2 seed Australia 1’s Connor O’Neill and Ruben Gale, 15-21, 21-14, 15-10, in their morning match, thus becoming the first Philippine team to advance this deep in an Asian level competition.

Making the feat even sweeter was the fact that the boys from Victorias City duo were competing overseas for the first time.

“We’ll do our best to even do better here,” said De la Noche, still shocked with their conquest over the more experienced and taller Aussies.

Iraya delivered the match-clinching kill for the Philippine side—fielded in the tournament by the Philippine National Volleyball Federation and backed by the Philippine Sports Commission and Rebisco—which rallied from a first-set loss in the knockout contest against Australia.

“I am proud of these boys and all I can say at this very moment is I am goose-bumped all over,” said Carmela “Melay” Gamboa, PNVF director and events commission chair who also dabbled as the boys’ coach in the Thai joust.

The men from Down Under were all praises for the boys from Negros Occidental. "The Philippines came out and played really well against us," O’Neill said.

For more stories you can visit the Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) website here.

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