UST’s Babylove Barbon tries to keep the ball in play against UP during their UAAP women’s beach volleyball match yesterday.
UST sweeps FEU, UP in beach volleyball
UNIVERSITY of Santo Tomas opened its quest for another golden double on a bright note in the UAAP beach volleyball tournament yesterday at the Sands SM By The Bay.
The Tigresses’ reigning MVP Babylove Barbon and Gen Eslapor overcame a tough challenge from Far Eastern University’s Gerzel Petallo and Melody Pons in the extended opening set before taking a 23-21, 21-17 win.
Barbon and Eslapor returned on a rainy afternoon session with a 21-10, 21-13 romp of University of the Philippines’ Euri Eslapor and Alyssa Bertolano for a 2-0 record.
The Growling Tigers’ Jaron Requinton and Rancel Varga made quick work of La Salle’s Noel Kampton and Vince Maglinao, 21-12, 21-15.
The most successful beach volleyball program in the league, the Tigresses are gunning for their eighth title while the Growling Tigers are eyeing for a seventh crown.
“Sobrang saya na nakabalik kami ulit. After two years, nakapaglaro kami ulit sa MoA (sand court),” said Barbon, who admitted that her team are facing stiff competition this season. “Yung mga pinalaro ng ibang school, hindi basta-basta. Kumbaga sila ang bagong hinog talaga.”
La Salle, runners-up to UST in the league’s most recent women’s competition in 2019, also had a winning start after Justine Jazareno and Jolina dela Cruz overwhelmed Ateneo’s Pia Ildefonso and Ysa Nisperos, 21-8, 21-15.
Dela Cruz and Jazareno later topped Adamson’s Mary Grace Borromeo and Aliah Marce, 21-16, 21-7, to give the Lady Spikers their second straight win.
National University’s prized rookie Honey Grace Cordero and Kly Orillaneda, also making an early impression, downed Adamson’s Borromeo and Marce, 21-12, 21-8.
The Fighting Maroons earlier win their opening match, as Euri Eslapor and Bertolano swept University of the East’s Ella Mae Capillano and Meriam Mungcal, 21-12, 21-11.
NU, last’s season’s second placers, overcame anxious moments as James Buytrago and Pol Salvador rallied from a second set loss to beat UP’s Dan Nicolas and Erl Eusebio, 21-16, 21-23, 15-11.
Ateneo’s Jian Matthew Salarzon and Amil Pacinio downed Adamson’s Francis Casas and Evander Novillo, 21-18, 22-20, while FEU’s Nadera and Bugaoan defeated UE’s Jake Abria and Allen Buensalida, 21-16, 21-11, to wrap up the first set of men’s matches.
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