2 La Salle-Dasma beach volley teams gain Boracay nat’l finals

POWERHOUSE De La Salle-Dasmariñas swept the men and women’s crowns in the Luzon leg of the 15th Nestea Beach Volleyball Championship Friday at the First Asia Institute of Technology and Humanities sand courts in Tanauan City.

The tandem of Joel Villanueva and Ran-Ran Abdilla smashed Dagupan-based University of Luzon, 21-12, 21-18, to book a ticket to the national finals in Boracay.

Giezelle Bembo and Jennifer Manzano completed the sweep for DLSU-Dasmariñas, disposing of University of Perpetual Help-Biñan, 21-7, 21-17, in just 55 minutes.

Bembo and Manzano also booked their tickets to the Boracay finals, and coach Darwin Campana likes their chances this time.

“We are aiming to improve on our fifth place finish in Boracay in 2010,” said Campana.

“They are potential champions. What we will do now is practice hard in time for the Boracay stint.”

UL-Dagupan also made it to the April 19 to 21 national finals, along with Lucena City’s Calayan Educational Foundation University, which wound up third following a 21-14, 21-13 win over University of Baguio.

UL also clinched a berth in the finals, overcoming Faith, 21-16, 16-21, 15-12, in the battle for third to join DLSU-D and UPH-Biñan.

DLSU-D sees a strong performance in the national finals with the 6-foot-2 Abdilla leading its charge.

Already booking their place in the national finals are Visayas Leg winner University of St. La Salle-Bacolod, University of the Visayas Green Lancers and University of San Jose-Recoletos of Cebu.

Defending champions Central Philippine University and Southwestern University have also qualified for the women’s national finals.

Cedelf P. Tupas