UV earns spot in semis

BORACAY – Jusabelle Brillo could have given up if she wanted, but the steel-nerved student, suffering from dysmenorrhea, carried on and gave University of Visayas a crucial win yesterday in the Nestea Beach Volley National Circuit.

The 22-year-old Brillo complained of menstrual cramps as soon as she got up in the morning, and it only got worse during their 11 a.m. match with arch-rival Southwestern U at the Hey! Jude sandcourt here.

At one point during the second set, when her team was trailing 15-11, Brillo sought a medical timeout and complained of some difficulty breathing. After being given medicine, she went on once again.

She and partner Janez Igot lost the second set after winning the first. But in the deciding third set, Brillo summoned all her remaining strength to give her team a 21-15, 15-21, 15-12 victory and an automatic semis slot.

“I was so concerned because during the timeout she said she was having difficulty breathing. But I urged her to continue,” said UV coach Raffy Briones who let Brillo rest in their hotel room the rest of the day.

“We were just fortunate the sun wasn’t really out during the match. Otherwise, Brillo could have collapsed out there. It was an important win for us because we have to defend our title. Now we’re in the semis,” Briones added.

Southwestern’s Janelle Tabio and Florian Gutierrez have lost all three meetings with Brillo and Janez Igot this year, but they believe that if both teams reach today’s finals, they may still win it all in the end.

“We lost. But I think we can beat them,” said Gutierrez, who helped give Southwestern three straight Nestea titles until 2005. She said she wants to win another one on her last year in school.

Southwestern lost to UV in last year’s finals of this Nestea event.

Far Eastern U also assured itself of a semis slot following a 21-18, 21-19 win over University of Mindanao-Davao. The two other slots remain a toss-up among Southwestern, UM-Tagum, UM-Davao, Southern Philippines Foundation and 2002 champion Adamson.

In the men’s section, already assured of tickets to the semis are Southern Philippines Foundation, which defeated Perpetual Help Dalta, 26-28, 21-10, 15-10, and Foundation which stopped UM-Tagum, 21-19, 17-21, 15-11.

Trying to keep their finals hopes alive are Luzon leg topnotcher FEU, a 21-15, 21-19 winner over Philippine Christian U; St. La Salle Bacolod, a 21-17, 21-19 winner over Capitol, Perpetual Help and UM-T.

The crossover semis in both divisions will be held this morning while the finals will take place in the afternoon with the winning teams taking home P125,000, runner-up P80,000 and third placer P55,000.

This year’s sponsors are Havaianas, Speedo, Mikasa, Penshoppe, Tagum Beach Volley Drome, St. La Salle Bacolod, Island Cove, Crystal Sand, Le Soleil, La Carmela, D’Mall, D’Boracay, Hey! Jude Resort and Nautilus by PJ Aranador.