University of Mindanao spikers succumb on home turf in opener

TAGUM CITY, Philippines – Not even the hometown crowd could help the reigning Mindanao champion in its opening-day match against a sophomore team from Davao City.

Jose Maria College pulled off the first big upset of the Nestea Fit Beach Volley National Circuit’s Mindanao elims yesterday by beating University of Mindanao-Tagum, 19-21, 21-17, 15-4.

Cherry Balse and Grace Garro of JMC moved like a diesel engine, losing the opening set and winning the next two under the blazing sun at the Tagum Beach Volley Drome at Rotary Park.

Lourdilyn Catubag and Jestine Gonzales are not the same players that won the Mindanao title for UMT last year but still they were the favorites as cheered on by the young crowd.

“The team we beat was not the same team that won the title here last year but it’s still nice to win,” said Balse, who played for Santo Tomas in the 2007 UAAP and V-League seasons, in Filipino.

Balse and Garro made their debut in this Nestea event last year but landed only fifth in the Mindanao stage. They hope to go farther this time, and earn slots to the Boracay stage on May 6-9.

“We hope to make it this time,” said the 20-year-old Balse, whose older siblings, Oliver and Jane, have made a name for themselves as part of the RP indoor volleyball teams.

Balse said it was nice playing for Santo Tomas but she just couldn’t bear being away from her family in Mindanao, so she packed her bags and flew back home last year.

Balse and Garro, according to their coach, Bong Villaber, hardly had any practice going into this tournament because of the school finals that are ongoing. They needed special permission to compete here.

Other winners in the women’s side yesterday were University of Mindanao-Davao over Ateneo de Davao, 21-8, 21-15, Capitol against Mindanao State U-Main, 21-19, 21-15, Holy Cross de Davao versus Xavier, 21-8, 21-9, and MSU-Tagum against Capitol later in the afternoon, 21-10, 21-13

In the men’s division, early winners were Makardika Institute of Technology over MSU-M, 21-7, 21-15, UMD over Xavier, 21-17, 21-10, DDMA College of Southern Philippines over Philippine Women’s College of Davao, 21-15, 21-18, and MSU-Tawi Tawi via walkover against Ateneo de Davao after its players failed to make the trip on time, and again MIT over UMT, 21-14, 21-16, for its second win.

MSU-Tawi Tawi is the first and only team from Mindanao to emerge national champion in the Nestea event, winning the men’s title in Boracay in 2007.

The three-day Mindanao elims will end tomorrow, and the top three teams in the men’s and women’s divisions will earn tickets to the Boracay stage on May 6-9.

The same number of teams will represent Luzon and the Visayas, which holds its own elims on April 16-18, in Boracay where the champions will get P100,000 each.

This year’s sponsors are Ipanema, Speedo, Parkmall in Mandaue City, Cebu, L’Oreal Paris Elseve, Nautilus by PJ Arañador, Mikasa, D’Mall D’Boracay, Tagum Beach Volley Drome at Rotary Park, Hey! Jude Resort, Boracay Mandarin Island Hotel, La Carmela de Boracay Resort Hotel and Crystal Sand Beach Resort. – Abac Cordero