THE Philippines got off to a fine start in the Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour Futures Nuvali as Honey Grace Cordero and Kat Epa dismantled Australia’s Charlotte Graham and Emma Hannagan, 21-11, 21-8, on Thursday, May 1, in the City of Santa Rosa, Laguna.
The University Athletic Association of the Philippines champions, Epa and Cordero of National University took control early and never let up in the qualifying match, finishing the windy midday showdown in 29 minutes.
“We knew it was essential to get the opening win for the Philippines,” Cordero said. “We’re so happy to get this victory.”
“The heat was so intense, we needed to push ourselves even more, knowing that fatigue would set in as the match went on,” Cordero added.
The 5-foot-5 Cordero, 22, hit four straight aces to give the Philippines a 20-11 lead in the opening frame.
Cordero and the 23-year old Epa, 5’8, also broke the Australians’ flow by using a lot of cut shots and off- speed hits.
Playing their second international meet in two months, Epa and Cordero vowed to do even better in the coming matches.
“We know we need to work on a lot of things in our game. We aim to have a more fluid offense and solid defense,” Cordero said.
They next take on Japan’s Keiko Urata and Minami Asano.
Epa and Cordero’s strong start provides a boost for other Alas Pilipinas pairs seeing action in the 19-nation meet, including the comebacking Sisi Rondina and Bernadeth Pons, Sunnie Villapando and Jen Gaviola, University of Santo Tomas pair Khylem Progella and Sofia Pagara, and the tandem of Alexa Polidario and Dij Rodriguez.
The main draw of the tournament organized by the Philippine National Volleyball Federation headed by its president Ramon “Tats” Suzara, who is also the president of the Asian Volleyball Confederation and Executive Vice President of the world volleyball governing body FIVB, gets going on Friday.
Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour Futures silver medalists Rancel Varga and James Buytrago are joined on the men’s side by Jude Garcia and Jaron Requinton, Lerry John Francisco and Edwin Tolentino, and the Ronniel Rosales-Alex Iraya pair in the tournament backed by Ayala Land, Nuvali Evoliving, Philippine Olympic Committee, Philippine Sports Commission, PLDT Home, Rebisco, Akari, Mikasa, Microtel by Wyndham South Forbes, Cignal, One Sports, Pilipinas Live, Senoh, Alibaba Cloud, ialchemy, One Over Zero Technologies and Sumpreme Infotech Solutions.
Israel’s Daniela Gonzales and Dafna Maor defeated Australia’s Lina Mueller and Chloe Sumich, 21-18, 18-21, 15-12, Canada’s Emma Cudmore and Sophie Hancock took down Latvia’s Deneva Sauberga and Rezija Puskundze, 24-22, 21-12.
Nozomi Sekiguchi and Yu Okuno beat Israel’s Shira Tal and Shiray Danenberg, 21-15, 21-17.
In men’s play, Italy’s Simone Podesta and Sergio Seregni downed Japan’s Ryo Tatsumi and Shiro Furuta, 21-15, 21-15.
