Sisi Rondina and Bernadeth Pons pulled off a 17-21, 21-16, 16-14 reverse sweep of Sunny Villapando and Dij Rodriguez in an all-Alas Pilipinas women Final to rule the Philippine National Volleyball Federation Beach Volleyball National Open organized by Beach Volleyball Republic Saturday night at Nuvali Sand Courts in City of Santa Rosa, Laguna.
After steamrolling the opposition in the first three matches, Rondina and Pons found Villapando and Rodriguez a tough nut to crack as the first-time partners took the first set.
Rondina and Pons played with a sense of urgency in the next two sets to prevail and complete a 5-0 sweep of the one-day tournament.
Continuing their beach volleyball comeback, Rondina and Pons never conceded a set in the first four matches. They bested National University Nazareth School’s Faith Mangyao and Liezl Dejan, 21-11, 21-6, and University of the Philippines’ Euri Eslapor and Kassie Doering, 21-12, 21-15, in the pool stage.
Rondina and Pons topped their Alas teammates Jenny Gaviola and Alexa Polidario, 21-9, 21-12, in the quarterfinal and Sofiah Pagara and Khy Progella, 21-15, 21-19, in the semifinal.
Villapando and Rodriguez reached the Final after sweeping National University’s Kizil Doren Quijote and Honey Grace Cordero, 21-13, 21-11, in the Final Four.
James Buytrago and Jude Garcia, pairing for the first time, emerged triumphant in the men’s side after the pair of Ronniel Rosales and Rancel Varga conceded the Final, which is also an all-Alas affair.
Buytrago and Garcia won the first set, 21-14, and were holding a 9-5 lead in the second when Rosales suffered muscle cramps. Rosales and Varga could not continue the match, giving the victory to Buytrago and Garcia.
Buytrago and Garcia went undefeated in five matches. They beat University of the Philippines’ Christian Pitogo and Angelo Lipata, 21-16, 21-11, and Intra Asian Volleyballista’s Krung Arbasto and Dominique Gabito, 21-15, 21-14, in pool play.
Buytrago and Garcia defeated College of Saint Benilde’s Mark Jun Garcia and Alvin Sulayman, 21-14, 21-15, in the quarters, and fellow Alas Ranran Abdilla and Edwin Tolentino, 21-15, 21-17, in the semis.
Rosales and Varga outlasted NUNS’ Alex Cabatuan and Sky Gemarino, 21-17, 20-22, 15-13, in their thrilling Final Four duel.
Pagara and Progella, also University of Santo Tomas standouts, secured the women’s bronze medal after turning back Quijote and Cordero, 21-16, 22-20.
Abdilla and Tolentino completed the podium finishers in the men’s side.
A total of 27 teams, 12 in women and 15 in men, have entered in the one-day event.
On Friday, over 60 participants took part at the first Sandroots Nuvali beach volleyball workshop.
Philippine national team head coach Joao Luciano Kiodai together with his staff and players from the Alas Pilipinas women and men’s teams conducted the clinic, where the registered participants got a free t-shirt.
The Sandroot program aims to reinforce, train and develop talents and skills.
Running since BVR’s inception in 2015, the Sandroots program has supported local aspiring beach volleyball players during the BVR on Tour events.
