BORACAY , Philippines – Central Philippines University’s Jovelyn Gonzaga and Fiola Mae Ceballos flashed top form to overwhelm La Salle-Dasmariñas’ Iumi and Iari Yongco, 21-9, 21-9, yesterday at the start of the national finals of the 16th Nestea Beach Volley finals here.
Gonzaga, a 21-year-old graduating education major seeking to join the Armed Forces, and Ceballos, an 18-year-old Tourism sophomore, dominated the comely Yongco sisters all-game, scoring both upfront and at the back.
“Beach volleyball is not all power,†said Gonzaga, who won his first Nestea Beach title with a different partner two years ago before she teamed up with Ceballos to reign supreme in last year’s staging of the annual event.
But Gonzaga and Ceballos face a tougher set of rivals next in Southwestern U’s Danika Yolanda Gendraulli and April Aguilar, who finished second and ahead of the former in the combined Visayas-Mindanao qualifier in Moalboal, Cebu last month.
University of Mindanao-Tagum’s Lourdilyn Catubag and Karen Kay Quilario, who wound up second to the CPU last year, topped the stage with Gonzaga picking the team as one of the title contenders this year.