Genido-Del Mundo rules all-Maroons Petron volley final

Manila, Philippines - University of the Philippines’ Pauline Genido and Ana Maria del Mundo proved to be the team with the better stamina as they turned back fellow Lady Maroons Carmela Lopez and Amanda Isada, 21-13, 20-22, 15-4, in the finals to crown themselves second-leg queens of the 2011 Petron Ladies’ Beach Volleyball Tournament at the Baywalk of Puerto Princesa.

 Genido and Del Mundo, playing non-stop since beating University of the East’s Jimberly Dizon and Sarina Faith Bulan in the semifinals, 21-16, unleashed four aces in a 7-0 binge to take control of the third and deciding set with an 8-2 lead, en route to a 15-4 win.

 “Both teams played non-stop starting in the semifinals, but I guess we wanted the title more,” said the 19-year-old Genido, an incoming senior physical education student, who also won the Petron circuits’ s second-leg crown two years ago.

 Crowd favorite Lopez and Isada, who crushed La Salle-Dasmariñas’ Ailene Abuel and Giselle Bembo in the other semifinal encounter, 21-15, actually bounced back in the second set, 22-20, using several nifty plays and smashes after yielding the first.

 But their momentum may have been affected with the temporary stopping of the game after the second set when Isada’s eyes caught some sand. After her eyes were treated with running water, Isada came back for the final set, but her team was no longer the same, trailing 4-9, before allowing the Genido and Del Mundo pair to score the game’s last five points on kills and service winners.

 The volleyball fiesta highlighting the city’s “Pangalipay sa Baybay Festival” celebration, was backed by Petron, Mikasa Balls, Speedo and the City of Puerto Princesa, under Mayor Edward Hagedorn.

 Puertro Princesa Vice Mayor Lucilo Bayron, who awarded the trophies and prizes to the winners, told the participants that the Baywalk of Puerto Princesa is always open to them.

 “If someone asks you where your home is, tell them that our Baywalk here is your official residence,” said Bayron, who announced that the staging of the Petron circuit’s fourth and final leg for the year, will also be held in Puerto Princesa.

 The top two teams will get berths to the Petron Volleyball National Ladies’ Tournament Finals in October, gathering leg champions and runners-up of the year. Lingayen, Pangasinan will host the tournament’s third leg.