Matsing

Matsing is one of the three competing tribes in.

Marred by failure and poor leadership, the tribe suffered a lengthy losing streak, quickly dwindling the tribe to two members, before being absorbed by the other two tribes of Tandang and Kalabaw. Despite losing every challenge, remaining members Denise Stapley and Malcolm Freberg made it to the final four, and Denise won the game.

Members

 * Angie Layton, a model/student from Provo, Utah.
 * Denise Stapley, a sex therapist from Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
 * Malcolm Freberg, a bartender from Hermosa Beach, California.
 * Roxanne Morris, a seminary student from Brooklyn, New York.
 * Russell Swan, an attorney from Glenside, Pennsylvania.
 * Zane Knight, a tire repairman from Danville, Virginia.

Tribe History
Before going down as the most fractured of the three competing tribes, Matsing started somewhat on a higher note, having shelter and fire one hour after reaching their camp. Russell Swan, the tribe's returning contestant, known for his superb leadership which helped his former tribe dominate, declared he will not step in the leadership position. But to the annoyance of the tribe, he continued to bark orders anyway. This prompted Malcolm and Angie to keep Russell in their sights. Wanting to play with Russell's hunger for leadership, Malcolm fed Russell's ego by guiding him to make a fire and give him the full credit of doing it.

The next day, Zane confides to Denise about the backstory of his tattoos as part of his strategy. Zane continued charming his tribemates to get their favor. Seeing through Zane's plot, and their mutual admiriation towards each other, Malcolm and Denise formed an alliance. Later, Russell found a clue to the Hidden Immunity Idol underneath the tribe's rice basket. Zane caught Russell, and leaked the information to his tribemates.

At the inaugural Immunity Challenge on Day 3, Russell poorly delegated his members to the tasks at hand to make sure he will not do the puzzle part of the challenge. The moved proved costly, as Matsing lost the challenge, sending them to their first Tribal Council. Back at camp, Russell's controversial move put him in line for elimination. Meanwhile, Zane, who also performed weakly at the challenge, tried to gain sympathy by asking his tribe to vote him out, but in truth, he was hoping that his move will turn the tribe against Russell. After their first Tribal Council, Zane, who admitted his abrupt nicotine withdrawal (which he only did the day before he left for the Philippines), was voted out unanimously. Not wanting to repeat the same mistake at future challenges, Russell vowed to change his ways.

After the first Tribal Council, Russell and Roxanne were alarmed by Malcolm and Angie's seemingly growing closeness, cuddling at night to warm themselves up throughout the rainy night. After losing the second Immunity Challenge on Day 6, Roxanne and Russell targeted Angie. At their second consecutive Tribal Council, Roxanne called out Angie and Malcolm for their constant cuddling, while the two fired back by stating that Roxy barely worked at camp and the pair were only friends. For her aggression, weakness in challenges, and laziness around camp, Roxy paid the price after a 4-1 vote.

The demoralized Matsing foursome went back to camp, where Russell encouraged his tribe to do their best. Russell, knowing that Malcolm had connections with both Denise and Angie, felt that he was in trouble. Malcolm and Angie declared they are only friends, with Malcolm telling Denise he was is willing to vote Angie out if Matsing loses again. It turned out at the Day 8 Immunity Challenge, Matsing came up short from victory once again, when Russell and Angie struggled at the swimming portion of the challenge, sending them back to Tribal Council. At their third straight Tribal Council, Russell and Angie accused each other for lack of life experiences and giving up respectively. Angie fought back at Russell by telling him he kept talking down and underestimating her. In the end, Angie was sent home after a 3-1 vote.

Down to a paltry roster of three, Malcolm, Denise and Russell struggled during another rain, losing their fire in the process. Despite this, Malcolm still hoped to win even just one challenge. The three agreed to continue fighting hard for their survival. Uncomfortable with the idea of going home before the merge for a second time, Russell tried to find the idol. Meanwhile, Malcolm lamented on keeping Russell for the sake of muscle mass, but the returning contestant had yet to prove anything to them. After losing for the fourth consecutive time in a closely-contested challenge, and unable to locate the Hidden Immunity Idol, Malcolm and Denise voted a visible disappointed Russell after a 2-1 vote.

The Dismantling of Matsing
On Day 11, down to two members, Malcolm and Denise anticipated that they would be absorbed by the other two tribes, so they wasted no time to look for Matsing's Hidden Immunity Idol. With Russell having the clue with him when he left, the two scoured the entire camp for the object. Malcolm then noticed the token on top of the rice container, and it turned out to be the Hidden Immunity Idol, to their delight. Because Malcolm found the idol, it was his to keep, leaving Denise vulnerable. Later that day, Malcolm and Denise's speculations of them being absorbed by the other two tribes proved correct. After a draw of buffs, Malcolm and Denise were sent to the Tandang and Kalabaw tribes, respectively, putting an end to the ill-fated tribe that was Matsing.

Matsing Reunited
On Day 17, the eleven remaining castaways - including the two last remaining members of Matsing before it dissolved - moved to the abandoned Matsing tribe camp for the merge.

Trivia

 * Blue is one of the three colors represented in the Philippine flag. The blue stripe on the top symbolizes justice, truth, and peace. If the Philippine flag is viewed horizontally and is in its default position (where the blue stripe is shown above the red stripe), it means the Philippines is at peace.
 * Matsing is the only tribe to bo absorbed and introduced winner of the aeason
 * Matsing is the fifth starting tribe to go down to three players before the merge, following Maraamu, Sook Jai, Ulong and Casaya.
 * Matsing is the second starting tribe to go down to two players before the merge, following Ulong.
 * In addition, there were only two remaining members of the original Saboga, Manihiki, and Puka Puka, and one remaining member of the original Aitutaki, before their seasons' respective merges. However, the tribes themselves were not reduced to those numbers as their seasons had an absorption/shuffling of members.
 * Both of the original Matsing players that have been absorbed by the two other tribes after the tribe's dissolution reached the final merge.
 * Matsing is the first tribe to never win a challenge, unless the Maraamu tribe in Marquesas prior to the tribal swap is counted, losing all four challenges it competed in.
 * Matsing is the seventh tribe to be dissolved.
 * This is different than the case of Viveros, Bayoneta, Manihiki and Puka Puka, which ceased to exist following a tribal swap that shuffled the entire cast, rather than scattering the remaining members between the other tribes.
 * All of Matsing's Tribal Councils ended up in an unanimous decision.
 * Matsing is the sixteenth blue tribe, making blue the most used tribe color.
 * Matsing is the only tribe in survivor history, to nevever win a challenge.