Japan pair leaves Rondina, Pons settling for 5th

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

BORACAY—Sisi Rondina and Bernadeth Pons gave it all but fell short against Japan’s Sakurako Fujii and Minori Kumada, 21-17, 21-19, Saturday in the FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour Boracay Open quarterfinals here.

Rondina and Pons thus wound up fifth, matching the country’s best finish in the world tour set last year by Rondina and Dzi Gervacio.

“We are still grateful that we faced [the Japanese] because we gained experience,” Rondina said in Filipino.

Rondina and Pons finished their international debut as partners with two victories. They pulled off a dominant 21-18, 21-6 win over Ekaterina Filina and Ekaterina Zazhigina of Russia to clinch a spot in the quarterfinals after losing to Japan’s Satono Ishitsubo and Asami Shiba, 21-16, 21-19, earlier in the day.