Reigning national champs stamp class early, post 2-0 start in Santa Ana

SANTA ANA, CAGAYAN —Davao’s Lot Catubag and Karen Quilario of Davao notched two victories Saturday to lead Philippine semifinalists in the Beach Volleyball Republic International Santa Ana Open here.

Catubag and Quilario, the reigning BVR women’s national champions, turned back Hong Kong’s Chan Mei Kit and Yip Wai Yan, 21-10, 21-13, and Iloilo’s DM Demontaño and Jackie Estoquia, 21-13, 21-19, to seize the Group B lead in the tournament presented by Cagayan Economic Zone Authority and First Cagayan Leisure Resorts.

Also making it to the semis are Harbor Pilot-Cebu’s Therese Ramas and Dij Gutierrez, and Tuguegarao’s Charo Soriano and Bea Tan.

Ramas and Gutierrez made quick work of Far Eastern’s MJ Ebro and Ivana Agudo, 21-7, 21-11, and Singapore’s Tin Lai Ng and Tan Shiang Theng, 21-15, 21-13.

Soriano and Tan overcame Ng and Theng, 22-20, 21-15, before scoring a 21-14, 21-16 conquest of Ebro and Agudo.