BACOLOD CITY—Defending national champion University of the Visayas (UV) kept its title retention bid in motion as it stayed unbeaten after the second day of action in the 2008 Nestea Beach Volley Season 11 Visayas eliminations yesterday at the University of St. La Salle (USLS) sand courts here.
The Raffy Briones-mentored UV duo of Jusabelle Brillo and Janez Armie Igot silenced Sheryl June Denila and Jerriz Joy Solis of host USLS in straight sets with a uniform score of 21-15.
With a 2-0 win-loss record, the Visayanians brightened up their chances of clinching a ticket to the national finals slated on April 26-28 in Boracay Island.
Brillo and Igot were actually trailing by six points in the second set, 4-10, but fired back with a blistering 8-0 run to grab the lead for good, 12-10. The victory was a fitting follow-up to their 21-11, 21-14 conquest of University of Negros Occidental-Recoletos (UNO-R) during the opening day.
“Wala kaayo kagawas ang ilang kusog kay kuwang sa warm-up but I’m pretty much happy that the girls were still able to make it,” said Briones.
In an all-Cebu women’s match, Janelle Tabio and Florianne Gutierrez of Southwestern University (SWU) outlasted Erika Camille Verano and Herlene Ybarita of the University of Southern Philippines Foundation (USPF), 21-13, 21-11. SWU improved to 2-0, while USPF slipped to 1-1.
“Masulod lang mi sa top three okay na kaayo. Ganahan ko nga makuha namo balik ang title kay nindot na kaayo ang support sa among skwelahan karon,” said Gutierrez, who steered SWU to a historic grandslam feat in the Nestea beach volley from 2002 to 2004.
The USPF belles quickly bounced back though but not without passing through some scary moments before repulsing University of San Agustin (USA) in a three-set thriller, 12-21,21-16, 19-17 to join UV and SWU into the semifinal round.
In the men’s bracket, Jhunrey Sasing and James Ryan Rivera of USPF overpowered Ariel Carumba and Loujie Tipgos of the University of San Jose- Recoletos (USJ-R), 21-13, 21-19 in another showdown of Cebu teams.
“What we have to do next is focus lang sa duwa. Also, we need a lot of practice kay kuwang gyud kaayo mi sa hangin. Naglisud mi sa among duwa kay wala mi naanad sa init maong mag-anad nami karun og practice nga nakabuwad sa init,” said Sasing.