THE Philippines got off to a hot start in the Smart Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC) Beach Tour Nuvali Open with three huge straight-sets victories on April 4, 2024 in Santa Rosa, Laguna.
Ran Abdilla and AJ Pareja outhustled Australia’s Potts D’Artagnan and Ben Hood, 21-17, 21-19, in the first match at center court of the world-class Nuvali Sand Courts by Ayala Land to spark the other Philippine pair—James Buytrago and Rancel Varga—which overpowered Indonesia’s Yogi Hermawan and Ketut Ardana, 21-11, 21-9.
Gen Eslapor and Kly Orillaneda joined the fun by dispatching Singapore’s Cecilia Huichin Soh and Tin Wing Chan, 21-9, 21-15.
It was a huge opening-day win for the country and the organizing Philippine National Volleyball Federation headed by Ramon “Tats” Suzara, especially for Pareja and Abdilla who started training together only two months ago.
“We weren’t really focused on the score, we just did what we did in training, focus on the plays, minimize the errors,” Pareja said.
Abdilla and Pareja’s fine start also relieved some of the pressure off old buddies Varga and Buytrago, who pounced on the Indonesians for the quick win.
“Their win (Pareja-Abdilla) was a huge boost in confidence for us,” Varga said.
Paul Burnett and Jack Pearse of Australia defeated New Zealand’s Juraj Krajci and James Sadlier, 21-11, 21-15, while Thailand’s Surin Jongklang and Dunwinit Kaewsai downed Malaysia’s Kaixu Looi and Weichun Ler, 21-12, 21-15. / PR