Top Superliga beach volley pairs dispute q’final spots

EARLY winners Gilligan’s and Foton Hurricane dispute a quarterfinal spot today in the PLDT Home Ultera-Philippine Superliga Beach Volleyball Challenge Cup 2015 at SM By the Sands of Mall of Asia.

Gilligan’s veteran sand court players Danica Gendrauli and Norie Diaz are expected to have their hands full against Foton Hurricane’s equally experienced pair of Pau Soriano and Bea Tan in the 1 p.m. match, preceding the first of the televised duels on TV5.

Crowd-favorites Gretchen Ho and Charo Soriano of Petron XCS battle Rochet dela Paz and Aurora Tripoli of Accel Quantum Plus B-Perpetual Molino at 2:30 p.m., while Alexa Micek and Fille Cayetano of Sprint 4T take on Cha Cruz and Micmic Laborte of Cignal A at 3:20.

The six teams will try to join early quarterfinalists Wensh Tiu and April Ross Hingpit of Cignal B in the inaugural tournament organized by Sports Core with Accel as official outfitter and Maynilad as official water provider.

Philips Gold’s Aileen Abuel and Rossan Fajardo tangle with Amy’s Samantha Dawson and Len Cortel at 4 p.m. while Meralco’s Jusabelle Brillo and Jem Guttierez battle Foton Tornadoes’ Patty Orendain and Fiola Ceballos at 4:40.

Foton Hurricane later collides with Cignal A at 5:30 p.m. The match precedes the Petron Sprint 4T-Gilligan’s clash at 6:20 p.m. wrapping up the second day of action in the women’s division.

“Our victory [over Cignal HD Spikers A] will be worthless if we could not sustain it next week,” said Gendrauli, the stocky, heavy hitter from Cebu who is also a beach volley star. She was instrumental in the Sisig Queens’ 21-19, 21-14 victory over the HD Spikers A last Saturday.