Rolex Cubillas and Jose Carlos Cagadas, long-time partners in indoor volleyball, yesterday proved that they could also hold their ground on the sand.
"We didn’t expect to win because we’re newcomers in beach volleyball," said Cagadas after Capitol U stunned University of Mindanao Tagum, last year’s runner-up, 25-19.
By winning two of their three matches at the La Salle Greenhills sandcourt, Cubillas and Cagadas advanced to the semis of the 10th Nestea Beach Volley Championships.
The crowd went wild when the final point was won. Cubillas and Cagadas celebrated as if they’ve won the championship, embracing each other until they both fell to the ground.
The UMT players, Lowell Fabian and Raquelito Tayabas, were simply outclassed by their opponents, and could only stand in disbelief as they took an early exit in this annual summer event.
Cubillas and Cagadas can now look forward to the Boracay phase on May 4-6. There the top teams from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao, 12 each in the men’s and women’s divisions, will compete.
Capitol U lost its first match of the day to University of Mindanao Davao, 25-21, then bounced back with a 25-14 win over Holy Cross of Davao College to set up the do-or-die match with UMT.
The UMT pair defeated Misamis U, 25-7, before losing to Mindanao State U, 25-23.
Other Mindanao teams going to Boracay are Ateneo de Davao, UMD and MSU in the men’s division, and MSU, UMD, UMT and HCDC in the women’s side.
Ateneo de Davao advanced with a 25-9 win over University of Immaculate Concepcion, UMD with a 25-23 win over Ateneo earlier in the day, and MSU with a 25-23 win over UMT in a morning match held under the rain.
In the women’s side, MSU clinched a ticket to Boracay with a 25-10 victory over Capitol U, UMD with a previous 25-6 win over MSU, UMT with a 25-11 decision over Maharlika Institute of Technology, and HDCD with a 25-22 triumph over UMT.
Representing Luzon in Boracay are defending champion St. Benilde, FEU, Adamson and St. Francis in the men’s side, and St. Benilde, Letran, Adamson and University of Baguio in the women’s division.
From the Visayas, making it to the next round were Foundation, University of San Jose Recoletos, University of San Carlos and University of Negros Occ. Recoletos for the men’s, and USJR, University of Visayas, University of San Agustin and University of Southern Philippines for the women’s.
The tournament is sponsored by Speedo, MTV, Power Shot, Hey Jude, Mikasa, Cebu Pacific, Seventeen, D-Mall, Villa de Oro, Club Ten, Schering-Plough Coppertone, Crystal Sand Resort, ClicktheCity.com, Boracay Gold Crowne Club, Bantay Kalikasan ABS-CBN Foundation, Nautilus by PJ Aranador and La Salle Greenhills. — Abac Cordero