Gilligan’s beach volley bets stun Cruz, Laborte

MOVING smoothly on the sand, Danica Gendrauli and Jane Diaz of Gilligan’s downed the fancied Cignal A pair of Cha Cruz and Micmic Laborte, 21-19, 21-14, yesterday to lead opening-day winners of the PLDT Home DSL-Philippine Superliga Beach Volleyball Challenge Cup 2015 powered by Smart Live More.

Gendrauli and Diaz displayed familiarity with the shifting ground, setting up well-timed shots to score the victory before a large crowd at Sands By the Bay, a makeshift court behind SM Mall of Asia.

“We know that we are not tall so we need to move well, make spins and set the shots,” said Gendrauli.

Foton Hurricane’s Bea Tan and Pau Soriano downed Petron Sprint 4T composed of Alexa Micek and Fille Cayetano, 21-15, 21-14.

Tan, the former Ateneo spiker who  dazzled with her speed and power, said  she played in a mixed tournament last May and the stint helped her a lot.

Samantha Dawson and Marleen Cortel of Army also hurdled their match,  beating Evangeline Pastor and Kim Ygay of Accel Quantum Plus A-Perpetual Molino, 21-7, 21-13.

In men’s action, Asian Beach Games veteran Edward Bonono and Sandy Montero of Cignal A beat their counterparts from SM By the Bay-B and Centerstage.

Bonono and Montero drubbed brothers Tim and Daniel Young of SM by the Bay-B, 21-15, 21-14, in the morning before disposing of Rence Melgar and John Carlos Lozada of Centerstage, 21-17, 21-19, in the afternoon.

Also posting wins were Accel, Sands by the Bay and Maynilad, were Champion Infinity A which bested Perpetual Molino A, 21-18, 21-9, and SM By the Bay B, 21-12, 21-8; Cignal B which trounced Perpetual Molino, B, 21-12, 21-4; and Champion Infinity B which stopped Instituto Estetico-Manila, 21-15, 21-15.