Seasoned tossers boost St. Benilde campaign

There’s just enough championship experience in St. Benilde that should make it the team to beat in the men’s division of the 10th Nestea Beach Volley Championship.

Janley Patrona, who was part of the St. Benilde team that won the men’s title in Boracay last year, is back for what could be his final stint in this annual summer event.

And he couldn’t ask for a better partner in Rael Pio de Castro, a rookie in the Nestea event but a veteran of the NCAA where he recently helped St. Benilde win the title.

Castro was crowned MVP after St. Benilde defeated Letran for the NCAA crown last month. Diomar Punzalan, his teammate, couldn’t join the Nestea event because of his studies.

"I wasn’t supposed to compete but suddenly there was an open slot," said the 25-year-old Patrona, a member of the RP indoor team that competed in last year’s SEA Games.

"I’m fine with my new partner although I feel we need some more adjustments since we haven’t really practiced together. But we’ll be there," he added.

Patrona, an all-around player, and Castro, younger at 21, immediately made their presence felt yesterday by beating San Beda’s Nemesio Gavino and Ryan Sucaldito, 25-14.

Patrona is looking at two-time champion San Jose Recoletos, Foundation University and Mindanao State U as the teams to reckon with.

The St. Benilde pair needed only 15 minutes to win their opening match at the sun-baked La Salle Greenhills sandcourt where the Luzon elims will be played until tomorrow.

Other winners yesterday were Letran over San Sebastian, 28-26, Philippine Christian U over La Salle, 25-17, St. Francis of Assisi over University of the Cordilleras, 25-20, and FEU over University of Luzon in the men’s side; and Adamson over PCU, 25-16, Lyceum over St. Jude College, 25-8, UTC over Lyceum B, 25-10, and University of Baguio over St. Louis University, 25-15.

There are 36 pairs competing this year — 18 each in the men’s and women’s divisions. Sixteen of them come from Luzon, 12 from the Visayas and eight from Mindanao, each one of them hoping to make it to the Boracay phase on May 4-6.

The tournament, sponsored by Speedo, MTV, Power Shot, Hey Jude, Mikasa, Cebu Pacific, Seventeen, D-Mall Boracay, Villa de Oro Boracay, Club Ten Boracay and La Salle Greenhills, offers P100,000 each to the winning pairs.

Southwestern University of the Visayas is eyeing a fourth straight title in the women’s division, and out to achieve that goal are Tess Natad and Joreen Sanchez.

The Luzon elims will run until tomorrow before those for Visayas and Mindanao are scheduled March 28-30 also at La Salle Greenhills.

Then it’s on to Boracay for the top 12 teams in the men’s and women’s divisions. — Abac Cordero