Tuesday, June 24, 2008 Gutierez-Brillo pair tops Dapitan beach volleyball By Marianne Saberon-Abalayan
DAPITAN CITY, Zamboanga del Norte -- Florian Gutierez and Jusabelle Brillo lived up to their billing as the tournament's big guns when they emerged champions in the 1st Dapitan Charter All-Ladies Beach Volleyball Championship National Open at the Long Beach, Sunset Boulervard here Sunday.
Gutierez and Brillo whipped Kay Aplasca and April Hingpit of the University of St. La Salle (USLS) A, 21-16, 21-17, in the titular match to bag the title and the P20,000 champion's purse that goes with it.
After losing the first set, St. La Salle engaged Dapitan in a tight battle in the second frame and even snatched a 14-12 lead. The more experienced Dapitan duo, however, unleashed power spikes to bounce back and grab an 18-15 advantage.
Another see-saw battle ensued but the Dapitan spikers put up a solid defense to stop USLS-A's attacks on the net and fire away spikes on their own to wrap up the match presented by the Dapitan City Tourism and Investment Council, Philippine Sports Commission, Department of Tourism, Gloria de Dapitan and Señor Santiago Steakhouse.
Gutierez, who hails from Katipunan, Zamboanga del Norte, said: "Wala gyud miy praktis kaming duha sukad naglaban mi sa Boracay. Dako akong pasalamat midaug mi kay dako ug tabang ang among nadag-an (We really didn't practice together since we played against each other in Boracay. I'm grateful we still won because our prize money will be a great help)."
Gutierez, a Southwestern University (SWU) mainstay, said she will give her share of the purse to her mother and that she will also give Zamboanga del Norte coach Gerardo Jalosjos, who was the one who invited them to play for Dapitan.
University of Visayas' Brillo, on her part, told Sun.Star Davao that she would use her money to restore her motorbike that she crashed accidentally.
The Dapitan pair received their trophy and the cash prize from Philippine Sports Commissioner Eric Loretizo, Dapitan City Mayor Dominador Jalosjos Jr.'s executive assistant Alimarlou Dagpin and Dapitan City Tourism and Investment Council president Carlos Vargas during the 45th Charter Anniversary Fellowship Night at the Long Beach, Sunset Boulevard.
USLS-A settled for the P15,000 runner-up prize while third placer USLS-B received P10,000. The latter blasted Angeles Law Office of Bacolod City, 21-17, 21-18.
"We're happy with the success of the competition. This just shows that Dapitan is ready to host huge sporting events in the future. We're now bidding to host the National Inter-Cities Chess Team Championship in December," Vargas said.
Loretizo, meanwhile, hailed the DCTIC and the City Government of Dapitan for staging the successful event. He affirmed PSC's commitment to support the city's sports programs.
