Sunday, March 02, 2008 USJ-R, SWU play topnotch beach volleyball in Cesafi
UNIVERSITY of San Jose-Recoletos (USJ-R) and Southwestern University (SWU) continue to dominate the beach volleyball competition of the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. in Inayagan, Naga.
Both men and women’s teams of USJ-R and the women’s team of SWU remain on top of the standing with identical 3-0 win-loss ledgers.
USJ-R men’s squad, composed of Lougie Tipgos and Ariel carumba, is currently the lone team on top of the men’s division ranking.
It solidified its leadership with a lopsided 25-9 win over Cebu Doctor’s University (CDU).
At USJ-R’s heels is USC, which also pulled off an easy 25-8 victory over University of Cebu’s (UC) Francis Llaguno and Jonathan Iñez.
USC, manned by two-time MVP Roderick Arenasa and Carlo Tescon, came up with explosive plays to silence their opponents, to temporarily take second place with a 2-1 record. Their only loss came from USJ-R last week.
USC could only hope that they win their remaining games and for USJ-R to lose to keep their title bid alive. Since the competition adopts an international format, the team with the most number of wins will win the inaugural Cesafi beach volleyball crown.
A stiffer competition in ensuing in the distaff side between USJ-R’s Genie Sabas and Michelle Simbajon and SWU’s Lorie Mae Layno and Jessa Satina.
Sabas and Simbajon, both former RP youth team members, defeated CDU’s Lynette Auza and Catherine Cemanes, 25-18.
While the victory came easy for the beach volleyball hotshots, it came harder for first-timers Layno and Satina of SWU.
Coached by two-time national beach volleball champion Janeth Ponte, there was a lot of pressure on the shoulders of Satina and Layno.
The two survived a last minute rally of USC’s Jeremie Montalvo and Kimberly Ybañez, 25-22.
In their game, SWU almost had the win in their hands as they were at match point 24-17. The two relaxed, allowing Montalvo and Ybañez to put up a 5-0 rally, to come closer, 22-24, but luckily for SWU, not any closer as Layno smashed in the killer point.
Other matches were still ongoing as of presstime. The competition will wrap up next week. (MCB)
