SIPALAY CITY, Negros Occidental — Philippine beach volleyball star Cherry Rondina added another championship to her growing legacy after teaming up with Dij Rodriguez to capture the women’s crown in the Beach Volleyball Republic (BVR) On Tour Sipalay Open at Poblacion Beach here.
The newly formed Rondina-Rodriguez tandem completed a perfect five-match sweep of the tournament after rallying past National University-DutchBoy’s Kat Epa and Kizil Quijote, 19-21, 21-13, 15-6, in the finals.
After dropping the opening set, Rondina and Rodriguez quickly regained control, overpowering Epa and Quijote with aggressive attacks and solid floor defense to dominate the final two sets and seal the championship.
The title marked Rondina’s sixth BVR On Tour crown and Rodriguez’s fourth overall title in the circuit.
Before reaching the finals, Rondina and Rodriguez survived a grueling semifinal battle against Southeast Asian Games gold medalists Sunny Villapando and Gen Eslapor, 21-15, 11-21, 15-12.
Epa and Quijote booked their finals berth after outlasting Beach Volleyball Manila’s Kly Orillaneda and Euri Eslapor, 19-21, 21-16, 15-10, in the semifinals.
Villapando and Gen Eslapor later salvaged the bronze medal by defeating Orillaneda and Euri Eslapor, 21-15, 21-16.
In the men’s division, Alas Pilipinas standouts Ranran Abdilla and Ronniel Rosales captured the championship after defeating Beach Volleyball Manila’s Edwin Tolentino and Lerry Francisco, 21-23, 21-18, 15-7, in the finals.
Abdilla and Rosales recovered from a first-set setback before taking command of the next two frames, dominating the deciding set to avenge their earlier elimination-round loss to Tolentino and Francisco.
The victory gave the duo their second BVR On Tour title after also ruling the Nuvali Open last March. Abdilla likewise secured his eighth BVR On Tour gold medal overall.
Earlier, Abdilla and Rosales swept NU-DutchBoy’s Sky Gemarino and Alex Iraya, 21-16, 21-15, in the semifinals to advance to the title match.
Tolentino and Francisco, meanwhile, edged UST’s Dom Gabito and JM Lagaran, 21-19, 11-21, 16-14, to arrange the championship showdown.
Gabito and Lagaran eventually settled for third place after defeating Gemarino and Iraya, 21-18, 27-25./PN
