Big beach volley start by MSU-T, SWU

BORACAY, Aklan—Mindanao State U-Tawi Tawi, intent on bringing back the men’s title to Mindanao, and Southwestern University’s male and female teams racked up two straight wins Thurdsday at the start of the 17th Nestea Beach Volleyball National Championship here.

MSU-T’s Aga Tahiluddin and Nur-Amin Madsairi dominated St. Louis University Baguio’s Lucky Bryan Biscocho and Mark Lloyd Miguel, 21-11, 21-9, and Foundation University of Dumaguete’s John Acain and Rino Salatan, 21-8, 21-15.

“My players are very prepared for this tournament,” said MSU-T coach Edward Lee. “We want to regain the title for Mindanao.”

MSU-T topped men’s play in 2007 before Foundation started the reign of the Visayan teams the following year.

SWU’s Romel Pepito and Relan Taneo also scored twice—against Marjun Alingasa and John Vic De Guzman of reigning NCAA champion St. Benilde, 21-17, 21-18, and Jade Illut and Jerson Belen of fellow Cebu squad University of San Jose-Recoletos, 18-21, 21-17, 16-14.

Defending champion University of Visayas also won its first game with Jade Becaldo and new partner Mark Anthony Fernandez toppling University of St. La Salle-Bacolod’s Rezy John Gomez and Herold Parcia, 21-14, 21-17.

In the women’s division, SWU’s Floremel Rodriguez and Therese Rae Ramas posted victories over University of Perpetual Help, 21-10, 21-13, and three-time defending champion Central Philippine University, 21-19, 21-12.

SWU coach Limuel Arreza praised her wards, particularly Ramas who was suffering from acidity for most of the match, for not being intimidated by the Iloilo-based CPU.

“They’re freshmen and very young, so I had to push them,” said Arreza. “It also helped that [CPU’s Fiola] Ceballos is playing with a new partner [in Valerie Amar].”

Ceballos teamed up with Jovelyn Gonzaga, now a member of the national indoor volleyball team, in CPU’s last two championships.

In other matches, University of Mindanao-Tagum’s Hachaliah Gilbuena and Jhonrel Amora stunned UAAP men’s champion Joseph Henry Tipay and Edwin Tolentino of National U, 21-19, 21-19; USLS’s Patty Jane Orendain and Katya Grabato downed NCAA women’s champion San Sebastian, 21-18, 21-14; and Adamson University’s Shiela Pineda and Amanda Villanueva whipped MSU-T’s Kweenafur Mohammad Ali and Edwina Jumadil, 21-6, 21-9.