San Beda grabs solo lead in NCAA beach volley women’s event

SAN Beda twins Maria Jeziela and Maria Nieza Viray dumped Lyceum’s Czarina Pauline Orros and Cherilyn Jhane Sindayen, 21-19, 21-13, to seize the solo lead with a perfect 6-0 (win-loss) card in the women’s division of the NCAA Season 92 beach volley tournament on Friday in Subic.

San Sebastian’s Grethcel Soltones and Alyssa Eroa, who are gunning for their fourth straight crown, turned back Perpetual Help’s Marjito Medalla and Maria Aurora Bianca Tripoli, 2119, 21-18, to seal their fifth straight win and half a game behind the talented Viray duo.

The Virays and the Soltones-Eroa tandem will face off today for the right to advance to the finals outright where the sweeper clinches the twice-to-beat edge.

The Red Spikers are gunning for their first ever title in the sport while the Lady Altas their fifth crown.

In the men’s division, Lyceum of the Philippines University’s Jhonel Badua and Joeward Presnede pulled off a pair of three-set wins while University of Perpetual Help System Dalta’s Relan Tanoe and Rey Taneo hacked out a straight-set victory to remain undefeated.

Badua and Presnede survived Arellano University’s Kenneth Aliyacyac and Joshua Esguerra, 17-21, 21-18, 15-12, and Mapua Institute of Technology’s Rey Arth Andaya and Sam Damian, 21-13, 17-21, 15-12, to help the Pirates nail their seventh win in row.

The Taneo siblings, for their part, flattened San Sebastian’s Christian Calonia and Jahir Ebrahim, 21-14, 21-17, to stay just half a game behind Badua and Presnede with a pristine 6-0 (win-loss) record.

Lyceum and Perpetual Help part ways today with the winner barging straight to the finals where it will be assured of a twiceto-beat advantage.

“The boys have trained hard with an intention of winning it this year,” said Lyceum coach Emil Lontoc in Filipino.