Superliga Beach Volleyball Challenge Cup opens this weekend

MANILA, Philippines – The PLDT Home Ultera-Philippine Superliga Beach Volleyball Challenge Cup 2015 is set to open this weekend with some of the best male and female volleyball players the Philippines has to offer scheduled to participate in two-on-two matches.

The beach volleyball cup, which is the second major tournament for the 2015 season of the Superliga, is the first of its kind in league history and will open on Saturday, July 18, at the sand volleyball court of SM by the Bay.

Notable volleyball players such as former Ateneo standout Gretchen Ho, former UAAP Finals MVP Cha Cruz, Charo Soriano, Fille Cainglet, Charo Soriano, Alexa Micek, Wensh Tiu, Micmic Laborte, and many more are expected to be part of the roster that will be in competition. 

A total of 13 teams divided into 4 groups (Group D will have 4 teams while the other 3 will have 3 teams each), compose the women’s bracket of the tournament while 9 teams split into two groups make up the men’s bracket, according to the official website of the Philippine Superliga.

Here is the complete roster:

Women’s Bracket:

Group A: 

Amy’s: Len Cortel and Samantha Dawson
Quantum Plus Team A: Evangeline Pastor and Kim Ygay
Philips Gold: Aileen Abuel and Rossan Fajardo

 

Group B: 

Petron XCS: Gretchen Ho and Charo Soriano
Quantum Plus B: Tripoli Aurora and Rochet Dela Paz
Cignal HD Spikers B: Wensh Tiu and April Rose Hingpit

 

Group C: 

Beneco: Cindy Benitez and Florence Madulid
Foton Tornadoes: Patty Orendain and Fiola Ceballos
Meralco: Jem Gutierrez and Jusabelle Brillo

 

Group D: 

Petron Sprint 4T: Alexa Micek and Fille Cayetano
Cignal HD Spikers A: Cha Cruz and Micmic Laborte
Giligan’s: Danica Gendrauli and Norie Jane Diaz
Foton Hurricanes: Pau Soriano and Bea Tan

 

Men’s Bracket:

Group A:

Champion Infinity: Angelo Espiritu and Nestor Molate

SM By The Bay Team B: Jade Becaldo and Hachaliah Gilbuena
Cignal HD Spikers A: Sandy Montero and Edmar Bonono
UPHSD Team A: Fernando Alboro and Ronel Del Mundo

 

Group B: 

Cignal HD Spikers B: Emmanuel Luces and Jay Dela Cruz
Centerstage: John Carlo Lozada and Rence Melgar
IEM: Michael Ian Condo and Karl Ian Dela Calzada
UPHSD Team B: Emanuel Gamat and Paolo Aloña
SM By The Bay Team A: Tim Young and Daniel Young

 

Saturday will mark day one of the preliminary round, with the second day taking place 7 days later on July 25.

Here is the matchup schedule for the first day of the event, courtesy of the league’s website:

 

 

“The Philippines has a lot of good players, not only here in Manila, but all over the country,” said Philippine Superliga President Ramon “Tats” Suzara through the league’s website. 

Suzara, who’s also a ranking member of the AVC and the International Volleyball Federation, furthermore stated: “This is an attempt to widen our scope and discover fresh talents who can represent our country in international beach volleyball tournaments in the future.”

“What we have is a very deep and talented field,” Suzara said about the tournament’s participants. “It’s going to be a slam-bang affair with only the best team in terms of skills, power and technique will emerge victorious. 

– Rappler.com