Volleyball returns in Subic sand courts

THE Philippine Superliga (PSL) makes a historic return with eight teams clashing in the 2021 Gatorade-beach Volleyball Challenge Cup starting on Friday at the Subic Bay Freeport’s sand courts.

With no reported case of coronavirus infection among the 56 players, coaches and league staff, it’s all systems go for the bubble tournament being held in cooperation with the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) and the Inter-agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) Central Luzon.

Action fires off at 8 a.m. with Bang Pineda and Jonah Sabete of Sta. Lucia 2 coming in as heavy favorites against Arianne Luna Alarcon and Christina Canares of Kennedy Solar Energypetrogazz in Pool A.

Chery Tiggo carries the colors of United Auctioneers, Inc. with Ella Viray and Therese Ramas seeing action against Jennifer Cosas and Gelimae Villanueva of Abanse Negrense 2 at 9 a.m. in Pool B.

F2 Logistics fields Jenny Mar Senares and Kyla Angela Gallego against Alexa Polidario and Erjan Magdato of Abanse Negrense 1 in the 10 a.m. battle in Pool A.

Matches will be streamed live on PSL’S Youtube channel. The tournament also has Cherrylume, Ube Express and Subic Bay Peninsular Hotel as sponsors and Cocolife, Cocogen Insurance, Data Project and Genius Sports as technical partners.

PSL president Ian Laurel said the PSL is honored to become the first non-professional volleyball tournament to restart its season after securing the IATF nod through Resolution 79 dated October 15, 2020.