UST stays hot in UAAP beach volleyball

University of Santo Tomas continued its stellar performance in the sand courts after easy wins in both the men and women’s divisions in the UAAP Season 81 beach volleyball tournament Friday at Sands SM By the Bay.

Reigning MVP Cherry Rondina and Babylove Barbon made easy work of University of the East’s Lyen Shan Ritual and Donna Nebrea, 21-4, 21-7, for their fourth straight win.

“The kid wants to learn, wants to win, and is very competitive,” said Rondina in Filipino of Barbon. “Whether we’re facing a strong team or not, we will fight.”

National University also maintained a perfect record after Klymince Orillenada and Antonette Landicho outlasted Far Eastern University’s Ivana Agudo and Marianne Calinawan, 21-11, 21-15.

La Salle’s Tin Tiamzon and Mich Morente took sole possession of the third spot after holding off Ateneo’s Ponggay Gaston and Jules Samonte, 21-14, 25-23.

University of the Philippines’ pairing of Isa Molde and Justine Dorog came back from one-set down to deny Adamson University’s Hannah Infante and Gracelchen Ave, 19-21, 21-13, 15-12.

The Lady Spikers bumped their record to 3-1 while the Lady Maroons settled in at the fourth spot with a 2-2 card.

The Lady Eagles, Lady Tamaraws, and Lady Falcons are in a three-way at the fifth spot at 1-3.

In the men’s division, FEU’s Jude Garcia and Kevin Hadlocon brushed aside UE’s Clifford Inoferio and Alen Aljas 21-13, 21-13 to stretch their winning run to four games.

Defending champions Bryan Bagunas and James Natividad of NU put down La Salle’s Geraint Bacon and Paul Serrano, 21-15, 21-17, as the Bulldogs improved to 3-1.

Tiger Spikers Krung Arbasto and Jason Requinton humbled Fighting Maroons Nico Consuelo and Mac Millete, 21-16, 21-7, while Adamson’s Pao Pablico and Jesus Valdez fended off Blue Eagles Kurt Aguilar and Abai Llenos, 21-15, 21-18,.

UST, NU, and Adamson all have 3-1 records to get in a three-way tie for the second seed.