Sunday, May 11, 2008 UV, SWU stay undefeated in beach volleyball By Edri K. Aznar Sun.Star Staff Reporter
SAN Remigio—As expected, Southwestern University’s (SWU) powerhouse pair of Florriane Guttierez and Janelle Tabio and University of the Visayas’ (UV) tough tandem of Jusabelle Brillo and Janez Igot breezed through the elimination round of the 1st San Remegio Beach Volleyball Open with unscathed records, yesterday.
UV leads bracket B with a 3-0 record, while SWU is at the top of bracket A with the same record.
With a huge crowd of spectators watching, Tabio and Guttierez, the 2008 Nestea Beach Volleyball National Competition champions, overpowered the Volleygals duo of Christine Bohol and Maritess Natad, an ex-SWU player and a two-time national champion, 25-18. The game started out neck-to-neck as both teams were as equally skilled in the sand.
A one point lead, 11-10, by SWU suddenly turned to a 15-10 advantage after they had a four point rally over the Volleygals.
What was a close match then turned into a blowout game when SWU increased their lead by seven points, 21-14, after a spike by Tabio and a couple of mistakes by Natad.
But Natad refused to give up, capitalizing on a few errors by their opponents to score a few points of there own to narrow the lead to only five, 23-18.
Danger
Sensing the danger that the Volleygals were slowly creeping behind them, SWU quickly finished their opponents with a powerful spike by Gutierrez that got past the tip of the fingers of Bohol and into the sand.
SWU also defeated University of Southern Philippines Foundation, 25-21, and the Atenians in one-sided, 25-7, victory.
Meanwhile, UV, the former Neastea Beach Volleyball National champions and this year’s first runnerup, started out strong with a 15-5 advantage against the Volleybells duo of Kenneth Garces and Marissa Lagancia.
But quickly the tides turned as the Volleybells cut the lead to 15-10 owing to Garces’ three straight service aces.
After a timeout, UV regained their composure and increased their lead to 21-13 with a powerful spike by Brillo.
The Volleybells never scored again as UV finished the match with three jump serves by Igot.
UV earlier whitewashed University of San Carlos, 25-15, and Xoxo, 25-19.
In the other games of the elimination round the Volleygals destroyed the Atenians 25-16, the Volleybells crushed Xoxo 25-21, USPF trampled the Atenians 25-11, Xoxo dominated USC, 25-12, USPF won over the Volleygals 25-18, the Volleybells were victorious against USC 25-15.
The semifinals and the finals will start today at 8:00 in the morning.
