Visayan pairs sweep Nestea beach volley with a flourish

BORACAY, Aklan—University of Visayas and Central Philippine University-Iloilo posted well-earned title clinchers as the Visayas scored an awesome sweep at the 15th Nestea Beach Volleyball National Finals here yesterday.

UV’s Jade Becaldo and Mike Abria downed University of San Jose-Recoletos’ Jade Illut and Jason Uy, 21-16, 21-19, for the men’s title while CPU-Iloilo’s Jovelyn Gonzaga and Fiola Mae Ceballos trounced UM-Tagum’s Lourdilyn Catubag and Karen Quilario, 21-13, 21-17 in the women’s finals.

Both UV and CPU-Iloilo picked up the champion’s purse of P100,000.

The losers settled for P65,000 apiece.

“All our hard work paid off,” said Becaldo in Filipino. “We went up against some of the best schools in the country and we managed to come out on top.”

On its way to the crown, UV placed second to University of St. La Salle-Bacolod in the Visayas leg.

In the Finals here, UV won two out of its three elimination-round assignments, swept its two quarterfinal matches and ousted Mindanao champion UM-Tagum in the semifinals, 21-17, 16-21, 15-8.

CPU-Iloilo thwarted UAAP and National Capital Region leg champion University of Santo Tomas in the Final Four, 22-20, 21-17.

UM-Tagum and UST both needed three sets to salvage third place and bag P35,000 each.

UM-Tagum’s Daryl Lapiz and Jef Ty Amora bested NCAA titlist Arellano’s John Lozada and Chris Salvador, 21-14, 17-21, 15-12, while UST’s Maruja Banaticla and Judy Ann Caballero won over Adamson’s Angela Benting and Paulina Soriano, 21-17, 14-21, 15-7.