Lady Stags, Blazers, EAC juniors open volley bids

San Sebastian College, College of St. Benilde and Emilio Aguinaldo College open their title defense as the 91st NCAA beach volley tournament unfolds Wednesday at the Boardwalk of Subic Bay Free Port Zone in Zambales.

Grethcel Soltones, back-to-back Most Valuable Player in indoor volleyball and reigning beach volleyball MVP, will team up with Dangie Encarnacion and reserve Alyssa Eroa as they jumpstart their title-retention bid against Jose Rizal University’s Rosalie Pepito, Maria Shola May Luna Alvarez and Annie Macaraya at 10 a.m.

Perpetual Help’s Vhima Condada, Marijo Medalla and Jamela Suyat, St. Benilde’s Jannine Navarro, Melanie Torres and Danielle Christine Lim and Arellano University’s Regine Anne Arocha, Angelica Sawali and Jenicalynne Tan will challenge the Lady Stags’ three-peat bid.

San Sebastian is currently tied with Perpetual Help as the most titled women’s team with four each since beach volleyball was included in the NCAA calendar 14 years ago.

The St. Benilde Blazers, last year’s men’s titlists, will be without top player Johnvic de Guzman, who opted to skip the event, leaving Isaah O’neal Arda, Racmade and Mark Anthony Deximo to defend the crown.

The opening ceremony is set at 5:15 p.m. with host school Jose Rizal’s Paul Supan, organizing committee chair, officially ushering in the event backed by The Lighthouse, Bayfront Hotel, Subic Park Hotel, Moonbay Villas, LGR, Mikasa, SBMA and ABS-CBN Sports and Action.

Emilio Aguinaldo will be the team to beat in the high school division. It also achieved a Grand Slam on 2011-2013.

The Brigadiers will be represented by Cee-Jay Hicap, Ederson Rebusora and Mario Dua, Jr.