Back-to-back for UV Abria, Becaldo keep men’s title; CPU scores 3-peat in Nestea Beach Volley

BORACAY, Philippines— They did it again. The spirited University of the Visayas (UV) tandem of Mike Abria and Jade Becaldo had to endure a tough challenge in the loser's bracket, then turned back the feisty University of San Jose Recoletos pair of Jade Illut and Jason Uy, 28-26, 21-12, to clinch the men's title for the second year in a row in the  16th Nestea Beach Volley national finals at the pristine white sands fronting Crystal Sands here yesterday.

Becaldo and Abria, both 22 years old, thus topped the men's side two editions in a row, both coming at the expense of the unfortunate pair of Illut and Uy, whom the former smashed, 21-16, 21-19, last year.

In the women's division, Jovelyn Gonzaga and Fiola Mae Ceballos of the Central Philippines University (CPU) fended off the stubborn Sto. Tomas duo of Maruja Banaticla and Judy Caballejo in a gripping 22-20, 21-18 victory to complete an impressive three-peat feat./

“I challenged them (Abria and Becaldo) to look into their mistakes especially that they were going to face equally strong teams. I’m glad they listened and we won, something that I didn’t expect actually,” said an ecstatic UV coach Raffy Briones. “I thank the Gullas family for all the support they have given to us and to God because without Him, we could not have done it,” Briones added.

For their efforts, both CPU and UV took the top purse worth P100,000 each plus the bragging rights as the best collegiate beach volley teams in the land for at least the rest of the year, while UST and USJ-R went home with P65,000 apiece.

Before reaching the zenith of success, Becaldo and Abria had to survive two sudden-matches after being relegated in the loser's brackey. They responded to the challenge with aplomb, beating University of Mindanao-Tagum, 21-19,16-21,15-6, before booting out fellow Cebu bets Edmar Bonono and Edward Ybañez of the University of Southern Philippines Foundation in another three-set thriller, 17-21, 21-13, 15-7 to set up a dream rematch with USJ-R.

The six-foot Abria, who is called here as “The Wall” for his massive height, intimidating form and an uncanny ability to block shots, said it was a little harder winning this year than the last time.

“It's harder because of the pressure of defending our title,” said Abria,a graduating civil engineering student, in Filipino. “Thankfully, we didn't allow ourselves to succumb to pressure.”

USPF's Bonono and Ybañez did not go home empty-handed after they beat Arellano University's John Carlo Lozada and John Nunez, 21-14, 21-13, to clinch third place and complete a clean sweep by Cebu teams in the men's division.

In the women's play, the tall, long-limbed and pretty Gonzaga, a 21-year-old education senior seeking to join the Phl Army after graduation, claimed her third straight crown as she was the other half of the same Lady Golden Eagles side that won it two years ago before teaming up with the younger Ceballos in their title conquest last year.

Interestingly, it was the shy Ceballos, an 18-year-old Tourism sophomore, who delivered the deciding point, a smashing spike that split the middle and spiraled down the line to finish off what was left with the Tigresses, who had to fight back from a five-point deficit twice in the second set before making their rally.

In the battle for third place, La Salle's Jeushl Wensh Tiu and Kim Fajardo shocked last year's runners up University of Mindanao-Tagum's Lourdilyn Catubag and Karen Kay Quilario, 21-19, 25-23.— with Philippine STAR News Service (FREEMAN)