Letran crowned Petron volley champ

PUERTO PRINCESA , Philippines  – Letran’s Gena Andaya and Jane Marinelle Carolino were crowned champions of the 2010 Petron Ladies’ Beach Volleyball Tournament second leg at the Baywalk here following a nerve-wracking 25-23 win during their championship showdown with La Salle-Dasmarinas’ Jennifer Manzano and April Almaden.

The pressure was on the Lady Knights at the start of the final game as they were hard-pressed to duplicate their opening-day 21-17 win over the reigning national champions. 

But as soon as the first serve was made, it was clear the Lady Knights deserved their place in the finals.

A smash, an ace and a perfectly placed spike down their foes’ left sandcourt did the trick for the Lady Knights, who shattered the game’s final deadlock at 23-all in the beach volleyball extravaganza backed by Petron, Speedo, Mikasa and the City of Puerto Princesa, under Mayor Edward Hagedorn.

 “We can’t believe we beat the defending champions,” said Carolino, a marketing student. “We were jittery at the start, but when we got the fluidity of our game, we just hung on and prayed for the win.”

Puerto Princesa Mayor Hagedorn, with the help of by J De Leon, advertising executive of Petron, awarded the championship trophies to the winners.

After trailing, 0-2, Letran swiftly got into the game with its patient setup plays to grab the lead at 5-3 on a smash by Carolino.

A see-saw battle ensued from there before the Lady Patriots, banking on the towering spikes by the 5’11 Manzano, grabbed the game’s biggest advantage at 12-8, before Carolino and Andaya tied the count again at 14-14.

The lead changed hands seven times from there, the last at 23-22, but Letran quickly tied the count for the last time at 23-all on a service winner by Andaya.

“We played a tactical game because we simply could not beat them at the front line where they are stronger,” said Andaya, a financial management student.

All is not lost though for Manzano and Almaden, last year’s national champions of the Petron circuit and queens of the 2009 NCR Athletic Association volleyball competitions as they still clinched a berth in the Battle of the Champions, where they can defend their crown later this year.

Champions and runners-up of the first three legs are automatically seeded in the Petron grand finals at the end of the year.