UST bags twin titles in BVR on Tour Manila Open

MANILA, Philippines – University of Santo Tomas banked on youth to complete a Beach Volleyball Republic on Tour Manila Open gold medal sweep late Sunday, August 19, at Sands SM By The Bay.

Babylove Barbon showed promise as Sisi Rondina’s new partner in the Tigresses’ 21-18, 21-19 triumph over Perlas’ Dzi Gervacio and Bea Tan to rule the women’s division.

Another UST rookie, Jeron Requinton, joined forces with Krung Arbasto in a 21-19, 21-14 conquest of National University’s Bryan Bagunas and James Natividad to lift the men’s title.

The twin championships made the Tigresses and the Tiger Spikers favorites in next month’s UAAP beach volleyball tournament.

Rondina and Barbon went undefeated in five matches and never dropped a set in the sixth leg of the season – and the 32nd overall since the circuit started three years go. 

It was the second BVR crown for Rondina, a native of Compostela, Cebu who also emerged triumphant last year with Jinggay Bangad as her partner.

Facing its toughest challenge in Gervacio and Tan, UST played catch-up in most of the 2nd set until Rondina went to work with her usual powerful spikes and Barbon delivered several placement shots to dash Perlas’ hopes of extending the women’s championship match.

Requinton was also impressive in the men’s finals after delivering a big block on veteran Bagunas midway through the second set that exemplified the Tigers’ aggressiveness against the much-favored Bulldogs.

Arbasto and Requinton also went perfect in five contests.

Smart’s Grethcel Soltones and Alyssa Eroa carved out a 21-12, 21-14 victory over Kempal’s Roma Doromal and Chantal Rodriguez to capture the bronze medal in the distaff side.

University of Perpetual Help System Dalta’s Jayjay Solamillo and Gilbert Balmores achieved a podium finish in men’s play, rallying from a set down to escape with a 12-21, 21-19, 18-16 win over Air Force’s Ranran Abdilla and Jessie Lopez. 

A record 32 teams – 16 each in the women’s and men’s division – saw action in the three-day spikefest. – Rappler.com