DLSU-D pair grabs Petron volley crown

MANILA—Jennifer Manzano and Satchel Senupe bested De La Salle U-Dasmariñas schoolmates Iari Yongco and Giselle Bembo, 21-10, 21-15, to clinch the third leg of the 2011 Petron Ladies’ beach volleyball tournament on Saturday in Dasmariñas, Cavite.

The win allowed Manzano and Senupe, playing for DLSU-D 1, to regain a leg crown they lost last year to Far Eastern University’s Shaira Gonzales and Shed de la Peña in Lingayen.

After Yongco and Bembo of DLSU-D 2 forced a 15-all count in the second set, Manzano and Senupe unraveled their power spikes, which forced their rivals into a series of errors.

Manzano and Senupe then scored the last six points en route to the win that assured them an automatic seat in the Battle of Champions in Puerto Princesa City in October. They topped the same event last year.

The winning pair, who won all their six games, will now prepare for the World Universiade slated August in Shenzen, China.

“This tournament served as our practice tournament for China,” said Senupe.

The 5-foot-0 Manzano and Senupe reached the final round after warding off University of the East’s Francislyn Cais and Lorie Longalong, 21-9, in the semifinals.