The cream of the region’s beach volleyball crop started to rise yesterday as the University of the Visayas and the Central Philippines University of Iloilo City dominated the men’s and women’s divisions, respectively, at the start of the Visayas eliminations of the 15th Nestea Beach Volley at the HK Beach Resort in Moalboal.
CPU, the reigning champions on the women’s side, took out a determined Southwestern University side in a thrilling three-set encounter, 21-11, 19-21, 15-13.
In the first set, the tandem of Jovelyn Gonzaga and Fiola Ceballos made it look very easy as they handed the Lady Cobras pair of Danika Gendraule and Lori Mae Layno a resounding 11-21 defeat.
CPU soon found out that they were going to be in for a fight as SWU came alive in the second set and led early on, 11-7.
CPU recovered their bearings and even took the lead, 16-13, after consecutive service aces from Gonzaga, an import for Liloan in the 2011 GUV Cup.
But SWU remained unfazed and came back to tie the match and capitalized on two straight errors by CPU to hack out the set win and send the match to a decider.
The last set proved to be just as exciting with both teams refusing to bat an eyelash. The game was tied for the last time at 13-all but CPU put a stop to SWU with crafty kills from Ceballos, who found an open spot on the left side for a 14-13 lead, and Gonzaga, who drove the ball down the middle for match point.
SWU fell to 1-1 (win-loss) in the tournament that adapts the double elimination format, which means that a team that incurs two losses is ousted from the competition.
SWU earlier trounced the Colegio dela Purisima Concepcion of Iloilo, 21-9, 21-9.
In other results on the women’s side, the University of San Carlos pair of Chona Gesulga and Suzette Panes outlasted the University of Negros Occidental-Recoletos tandem of Ruby Casipe and Jennifer Cosas in three sets, 21-18, 15-21, 15-7.
On the men’s side, the UV duo of Jade Becaldo and Mike Abria made quick work of their opponents. They first beat CPC’s Michael Basa and Jan Basinang, 21-15, 21-15 and then clobbered the John B. Lacson Foundation Maritime University tandem of Arden Doromal and Eleazar Genisan, 21-10, 21-6.
RIVALRY RENEWED
But the day’s highlight in this division belonged to the University of San Jose-Recoletos as they downed the reigning national champions Foundation University in a three-setter, 23-21, 18-21, 15-11.
The two teams have history between them as they met for the national crown back in 2009 with USJ-R’s Ariel Carumba and Louijie Tipgos winning over FU’s Arnel Amadeo and Buensuceso Sayson.
The first set went down the wire but USJ-R was the steadier squad as they took the set, 23-21, after an error by FU and a spike down the right side by Jason Uy.
The second set was just as close with the score tied at 18-all when USJ-R made three straight errors that gave FU’s Glen Ventolero and Johm Acain a new lease on life.
USJ-R pulled away in the rubbermatch and put away their opponents with a thunderous kill by Uy and a high looper by Jade Illut.
FU fell to 1-1 after they bested the University of Cebu earlier in the day, 21-13, 24-22.
The other winners were USC’s Kennith Bensig and Von Estrera, who also got two wins yesterday. They outhustled UNOR’s Mark Hojilla and Markheen Bendecio, 19-21, 28-26, 15-11 and then downed CPU’s Hans Yu and Kenny Amar, 21-16, 21-15.
USLS’ Roelene Inaudito and Kerwin Rajo also beat the Bohol Institute of Technology’s Bryan Egam and Elmo Ranolo, 21-7, 21-9.