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Strong Group finishes runner-up as Aichi rules Formosa Invitational
Strong Group settled for the silver medal after falling to Japan club Aleeza Aichi in straight sets, 17-25, 19-25, 15-25, in the final of the 2026 Formosa Women’s Volleyball Invitational Tournament on Sunday night at Xinzhuang Gymnasium in Chinese Taipei.
SGA put up a fight in the opening two sets before running out of steam in the third, where the Japanese side flexed its dominance to complete a convincing sweep and capture the championship.
With the title within reach, Aleeza Aichi never gave Strong Group Athletics any breathing room in the third set. The Japanese club steadily pulled away before building a commanding 19-12 lead to all but put the match out of reach.
Ces Molina and Trisha Tubu sparked one last rally, leading a 4-1 run to keep SGA’s hopes alive, but Aleeza Aichi quickly slammed the door with a decisive 5-0 finishing burst to seal the championship.
It was a tough ending for Strong Group, which bounced back from a four-set opening loss to Thailand’s Supreme Tip Chonburi-E.Tech by defeating Chinese Taipei’s Earthpower EPV on Saturday to earn a spot in the finals.
That victory created a three-way tie at 1-1 in the standings, with the Filipino squad advancing to the gold medal match by virtue of a superior set ratio.
Riding the momentum of its breakthrough win, Strong Group hoped to carry its confidence into the championship match, but Aleeza Aichi immediately showed why it was considered the tournament favorite.
The opening set remained competitive early before Aleeza Aichi created the separation it needed. Holding a slim 13-11 advantage, the Japanese side unleashed a decisive 6-2 run, capped by Ayana Funane’s cross-court attack, to build a 19-13 cushion and seize control.
SGA managed to trim the deficit to 22-17, but Mio Kitagawa, Shiori Mitome, and Aimi Nakada combined for three straight points to close out the opening frame and give Aleeza Aichi the early advantage.
Strong Group delivered a much stronger showing in the second set, trailing by just a point, 18-19, after a hit from Riza Nogales late in the frame.
However, Aleeza Aichi found another gear down the stretch, scoring six of the final seven points behind Mitome, Kitagawa, and Shiori Yamauchi to take the set, 25-19, and move within one set of the championship.
The post Strong Group finishes runner-up as Aichi rules Formosa Invitational appeared first on Tiebreaker Times.
Two weeks after inaugurating its basketball courts, Mighty Sports Center will officially open its volleyball courts at AcroCity in Guiguinto, Bulacan, on Saturday, October 10, in what promises to be another festive affair.
Rising star Jolina Dela Cruz and veterans Jovelyn Gonzaga and Rachell Anne Daquiz, along with the rest of the ZUS Coffee Thunderbelles, will join the celebration dubbed “SET.SPIKE.PLAY.”
AcroCity and Czark Mak chairman Caesar Wongchuking, a longtime sports patron, said that aside from the exhibition match between ZUS Coffee and the Makata Selection of Bulacan at 4 p.m., the event will also feature a meet-and-greet session where fans can interact with their PVL idols.
“Just like the inauguration of the basketball courts, fans can interact with these professional volleyball players,” said Wongchuking. “It’s our own little way to giving back to communities.”
Wongchuking added that proceeds from the event will go to Tahanang Mapagpala of Immaculada Concepcion Foundation, Inc. He also thanked ZUS Coffee owner Frank Lao for allowing his players to take part in the celebration.
Also expected to grace the event are Bulacan Vice Governor Alex Castro and Malolos City Mayor Christian Natividad.
The volleyball courts are part of the Mighty Sports Center at AcroCity, a development envisioned as a “Live, Work, Play” destination in Guiguinto.
Aside from its basketball and volleyball courts and modern fitness center, AcroCity is also home to Acro Residences Hotel, restaurants such as Cafe de Margaux and Mt. Fuji, and event venues including Ang Hardin and NDW Plaza, which is named after the Wongchuking family matriarch, Nelia D. Wongchuking.
The post ZUS Coffee to grace Mighty Sports Center volleyball court launch appeared first on Tiebreaker Times.
The Golden Eaglets of Nigeria will begin their qualifying campaign for the U17 AFCON against Cote d’Ivoire next week Wednesday.
The match schedule is out!
Ouagadougou will host the WAFU B U-17 AFCON Qualifying Tournament Burkina Faso 2026 from 10 to 23 October 2026.
West Africa’s best U-17 teams will battle for qualification to the U-17 AFCON.
Check out the official match schedule!
#WAFUB #U17AFCON #BurkinaFaso2026 #RoadToAFCON #YouthFootball #AfricanFootball
#UFOAB #WAFUB #U17AFCON #BurkinaFaso2026 #RoadToAFCON #YouthFootball
— CAF ZONE OUEST B (@CafZoneOuestB) October 7, 2026
Their other Group B match will be against Niger three days later.
The WAFU B U17 AFCON qualifying tournament will kick off Saturday, when hosts Burkina Faso take on Benin and Ghana square up against Togo.
Burkina Faso head Group A, whose overall winners will face runners-up in Group B for a place in the championship game.
The post Golden Eaglets begin U17 AFCON qualifiers vs Cote d’Ivoire first appeared on Score Nigeria.
Alex Eala and Shaira Rivera hurdled their first test as a doubles pair, defeating Hong Kong’s Kallista Liu and Lai Ching Laam, 6-1, 6-3, in the opening round of the women’s doubles tournament at the 20th Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026 on Tuesday.
With the outdoor courts washed out by continuous rain, Eala and Rivera had their original schedule pushed back to the evening. The long delay, however, did little to disrupt their rhythm as they quickly took control of the match.
Eala, ranked No. 127 in the world in doubles, and Rivera, a standout at NCAA Division II school University of West Alabama, needed little time to jell as a pair.
(C) POC Media
After their opponents held serve in the opening game, the Filipinas rattled off six straight games to take the first set in just 33 minutes.
The second set lasted a bit longer, but Eala and Rivera remained in control for most of the way to seal the victory at the Higashiyama Park Tennis Center.
The road ahead, however, will be considerably tougher in the second round. Eala and Rivera will face doubles specialists and third seeds Jiang Xinyu and Yang Zhaoxuan of China.
The 27-year-old Jiang is ranked No. 22 in the world in doubles and recently reached the Wimbledon semifinals. Then Yang, 31, has a career-high doubles ranking of No. 9 and has also reached the semifinals of the French Open.
Both Filipinas are also into the next round in their other competitions — Rivera with partner Francis Alcantara in mixed doubles, and Eala in the women’s singles.
The post Alex Eala, Shaira Rivera roll into Asian Games doubles second round appeared first on Tiebreaker Times.
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