Host's duo triumphs in Petron beach volley

LINGAYEN , Philippines  – Team Pangasinan-1’s Jennifer Manzano and new partner Cindy Benitez held their ground and knocked off two rivals to lead the early going of the Petron Ladies Beach Volleyball Battle of Champions here yesterday.

Manzano and Benitez first outplayed Philippine School of Business Administration’s Joan Arceo and Grace Masangkay, 21-11, then the fancied duo blasted University of the East-1’s Kryssel Cueva and last year’s Battle of Champions winner Francislyn Cais, 21-13.

Rizal Technological University’s Jessa Aranda and rookie teammate Jonafer San Pedro also posted a pair of victories while University of the East-2’s Leusheth Dawis and Ashlee Razon split their first two matches at the wind-blown, beach-front sand-courts of the capitol grounds.

“We toughened up on defense to neutralize their power serves,” said Benitez, 24, who now works for the Benguet Electric Cooperative, in Filipino.

Aranda and San Pedro pulled off a 21-15 victory over La Salle-Dasmariñas’ Giselle Bembo and Iari Yongco, before turning back Pangasinan-2’s Cassandra Lleda and Melanie Carrera, 21-17.

Aranda, a 22-year-old Physical Education student, had three service aces to spark their fightback from 14-16 down. The duo sustained their charge and completed a 7-0 windup to fashion out the win in Group A of the annual event backed by Speedo, Mikasa, media partner Business Mirror, the province of Pangasinan through Gov. Amado Espino Jr. and Rep. Leopoldo Bataoil (second district).

Meanwhile, the 5-7 Dawis and Razon, who dropped 16-21 loss to Lleda and Carrera, bounced back with 21-9 rout of Mapua-1’s Bianca Reyes and Mabelle Lau.