Saturday, April 21, 2007
3 Cebu teams move to beach volley semis
By Marian C. Baring
Sun.Star Staff Reporter
BORACAY - Three of five Cebu teams secured slots to the semifinal round of the 2007 Nestea Beach Volleyball after an arduous third day yesterday that was marred by upsets.
Regional champions bombed out of contention, including University of San Jose Recoletos (USJ-R), which was the women’s Visayas champion; University of San Carlos (USC), the Visayas men’s champs; and Far Eastern University (FEU), which won the women’s title in the Luzon qualifiers.
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Cebu’s bid, however, remains strong as the girls team from University of the Visayas (UV), Southwestern University (SWU), and the men’s squad from University of Southern Philippines Foundation (USPF) edge closer to the P150,000 top purse.
SWU, composed of Janelle Tabio and two time national titlist Maritess Natad, is well on their way to regain SWU’s lost glory.
SWU is the only team that has completed a grandslam in the 11-year-old summer tournament.
SWU had to trounce University of Mindanao-Tagum twice yesterday before securing the victory.
In the morning, it defeated the Liezel Manatad and Mylin Que pair in straight sets, 22-20, 23-21.
With the victory, everyone thought that SWU had gained the top spot in the ranking, but because of the point system adopted by the organizers, the team found themselves deep in the sixth place, just a notch over being eliminated.
Instead of considering the number of sets won, the format entails getting the quotient of the points made.
To advance, SWU had to beat UMT once more in the afternoon.
When they complained of the 37-degree scorching heat in the opening day, yesterday, the duo had to contend with the same 37-degree temperature, but this time in the shade.
“Maayo nalang init ang Cebu,” said Natad after their last game, which saw Que getting first aid halfway in the second set because of the heat.
They met little resistance however as they swept the game again, 21-19, 21-10.
The M.Lhuillier Sports Development Foundation and Cebu Diesel Supply-backed UV on the other hand, needed only to upset Luzon champion FEU in its lone assignment for the day to secure the top spot.
Manned by Janez Armi Igot and Jusabelle Brillo, the wily duo spiked FEU out of contention, 21-11, 21-23, 15-13.
“They were hitting the ball away from Brillo because they know she is a strong spiker,” said head coach Raffy Briones.
Igot, for her part, said she was surprised at the quickness of their opponents.
Coach Cecil Jotojot’s USPF, on the other hand, lost to USC in their first match, 25-27, 26-28, but made up for it in the quarterfinal round as Ronald Melencion and James Rivera went on to clobber NCR’s Saint Francis of Assisi College (SFAC), 21-19, 19-21, 15-11, in a classic David and Goliath battle.
The diminutive but foxy Rivera provided a strong wall in front of the USPF net as the duo managed to outsmart SFAC for the semifinal slot.
All, however, did not end well for Cebu as USJ-R and USC bid the tournament goodbye. The most heartbreaking for the Cebuanos’ cause is USJ-R’s loss, as they bombed out because of the scoring system.
USJR lost to Adamson University in three sets and ended the round with a .87 quotient.
University of Mindanao Davao was bashed in its game against Holy Cross Davao, but when its marks were computed, they had a .88 quotient, making the cut.
“It is very heartbreaking really. If we made just one point more, we could have extended our bids,” said USJ-R head coach Grace Antigua.
USJ-R, composed of Genie Sabas and Julette Marikit, was hoping to improve its finish last year, when it only placed first runner up.
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. ( April 21, 2007 issue)
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