UE, La Salle-Dasma face tough foes in Petron volley

MANILA, Philippines - Veteran spikers from the University of the East and La Salle–Dasmariñas are in for a big fight in the third leg of the 2012 Petron Ladies’ Beach Volleyball tournament.

A younger batch of aspirants campaigning in the National Capital Region Athletic Association and other collegiate leagues are going to challenge them in the tournament backed by Petron and official ball Mikasa.

It’s what in store for UE bet Jessica Paron, and Yongco sisters Iari and Iumi when action begins this Friday at the sand courts of the UE-Caloocan campus.

“There are participants from the National Collegiate Athletic Association, the NCRAA, and the University Athletic Association of the Philippines, kaya magkakaroon tayo ng malakas na competition sa third leg,” said organizer Tisha Abundo during Tuesday’s weekly Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum (PSA) at Shakey’s Malate.

Paron, who made it to the finals last year, is teaming up with new partner Pia Sarmiento, and so are the Yongco sisters.

The elder Iari, 22, will have Celia Cindy Amutan as her new partner, while Iumi teams up with Marra Galicia.  Amutan and Galicia appeared in the session presented by Shakey’s and the Philippine Amusements and Gaming Corporation.

The three squads are expected to get far in the  two-day spikefest as they face challenges from seven other aspiring teams seeking slots in the Battle of Champions in Boracay this October.

“I’m looking forward to playing with Ate Iari,” said Amutan, a physical education freshman, who got a first taste of experience in beach volleyball with Galicia during the recent 2013 Philippine National Games.

Far Eastern University’s Samantha Dawson will be around with a new teammate as well in Bernadette Pons, while Trinity’s Carissa Martinez partners with Mary Paz Soteco.

UE’s Faith Bulan and Krysel Cueva are back, with Letran spikers Jan Carreon and Queenie Mondejar, who are joining for the first time with San Beda’s Janine Marciano and Frances Molina.

Philippine School of Business Administration’s Naomi Otoshi and Jona Abueg are listed with another Letran pair, Monique Joy Pablo and Eva Evangelista.