Standouts from the Alas Pilipinas team will take centerstage in the one-day Philippine National Volleyball Federation Beach Volleyball National Open organized by Beach Volleyball Republic on Saturday, May 24, at Nuvali Sand Courts in City of Santa Rosa, Laguna.
Sisi Rondina and Bernadeth Pons, who made it to the quarterfinals in last month’s Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour Futures Nuvali, will headline the four Alas teams competing in the women’s division.
Also competing are the battle-tested Alas pairs of Jenny Gaviola and Alexa Polidario, Sofiah Pagara and Khy Progella, and Sunny Villapando and Dij Rodriguez.
Pagara and Progella won the gold in the PNVF Beach Volleyball Invitational organized by BVR last December also in the Nuvali sand court.
The four Alas tandems in the men’s side are James Buytrago and Jude Garcia, Lerry Francisco and Jaron Requinton, Ranran Abdilla and Edwin Tolentino, and Ronniel Rosales and Rancel Varga.
Adding spice to the tournament are the participation of reigning UAAP women’s and high school girls beach volleyball champions National University. Season 87 women’s MVP Honey Grace Cordero and Kizil Doren Quijote will represent the Lady Bulldogs, while Faith Mangyao and Liezl Dejan will banner the Bullpups.
NU-Nazareth School’s Vilmarie Toos, the Season 87 girls MVP, will have veteran Bea Tan as her partner for Team Ilonggas, while completing the 12-team girls cast are Negros’ Erjane Magdato and Perper Cosas, University of the Philippines’ Jum Gayo and Kryssia Mae Omos, UP alums Euri Eslapor and Kassie Doering, Solar Home Suns’ Jelainne Camia and Symone Ildefonso, and College of Saint Benilde’s Doreen Baguio and Shandara Baba.
University of Santo Tomas, the reigning UAAP men’s and high school boys beach volleyball champions, are well represented with the pairs of Aldwin Gupiteo and Lance Malinao, and Season 87 boys MVP JM Lagaran and Smael Salon. Meanwhile, Season 87 men’s MVP Dominique Gabito will be paired with Krung Arbasto for the Intra Asian Volleyballistas.
Rounding up a stacked 14-team up men’s cast are NUNS’ Alex Cabatuan and Sky Gemarino, NU’s Kian Tan and Emman Roda, Far Eastern University’s Reynan Postorioso and Kyle Retiza, FEU alums Vince Nadera and Jeremiah Barrica, UP’s Christian Pitogo and Angelo Lipata,
Benilde’s Mark June Rosales and Alvin Sulayman, Sand Pit’s Pablo Luis Bonavente and Sean Archer Noel Codeniera, and Solar Home Suns’ Philip Ruther Decena and Immanuel Luis John Torotoro.
The pool play is set at 7 p.m., while the quarterfinal and semifinal will be begin at 12 noon. The final is scheduled at 6 p.m.
On Friday, there will be a Sandroots clinic from 4 to 6 p.m. to be conducted by national team coach Joao Luciano Kiodai. The first 60 participants to register will get a free t-shirt.
