SEA GAMES: PH WOMEN’S ICE HOCKEY TEAM STILL UPBEAT AFTER BIG LOSS

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BANGKOK — The Philippine women’s ice hockey team believes the gold medal is still attainable in the sport’s debut at the Southeast Asian Games.

The squad remains optimistic despite opening its campaign with a 13-0 beating at the hands of host Thailand in the SEA Games 2025 on Wednesday at Thailand International Ice Hockey Arena.

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A clear underdog in the match, the Philippines was able to hold its ground better in the second and third periods after letting in seven shots from the home team in the opening stanza alone.

“You could see that every period, we were getting better. We didn’t let in too many shots in the second and third periods. I think that’s a positive thing.” said team captain Bianca Cuevas after the match.

Despite the lopsided loss, the Philippines believes it is still a formidable force in the region — especially after winning the gold in the 2025 IIHF Women’s Asia Cup, which marked the country’s first title at that level of competition.

But Thailand, a team which competes in Division III A of the IIHF Women’s World Championship, was admittedly a tough nut to crack. The Thais shot upwards of 60 shots on goal against Philippine goalie Rosalyn Lim.

Though Lim was able to stop most of them, the sheer volume of shots was enough to crack the game wide open.

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Still, the Philippines is in high spirits.

“I think Thailand is the most skilled team that we’ve ever gone against. The last time we went up against them, the score was far worse. So this game was really just a chance to set the tone for the rest of the tournament.” said alternate captain Danielle Imperial.

“If we play against the rest of the teams the way we played against Thailand, we’re seeing them again at the end of this. So, this doesn’t take away our chances of getting the medal we want. But, yeah, it’s only up from here.”

The Philippines aims to bounce back when it faces Singapore on Friday, 4 p.m., local time at the same venue.

2025-12-10T11:31:56Z