Filipino spikers in beach volley final

THE Philippines’s Sisi Rondina and Bernadeth Pons beat Hong Kong’s Yeung Wai Yan and Koo Yung Yung, 21-14, 21-10, to punch a ticket to the women’s Finals of the 2019 Rebisco Beach Volleyball International Open on Sunday at the Sands at SM By The Bay.

Aside from her smart plays and attacks, Rondina made two solid blocks in the opening set to frustrate Hong Kong.

“We always communicate, that’s our game plan,”said Rondina after her partnership with Pons remained perfect in the tournament presented by Larong Volleyball sa Pilipinas Inc. in cooperation with Beach Volleyball Republic.

Rondina and Pons are the country’s best medal hopes in the 30th Southeast Asian Games set next month in Subic.

The other Filipina pair for the SEA Games, Dij Rodriguez and Dzi Gervacio, also improved to 5-0 after tripping New Zealand’s Renei Ursem and Olivia Macdonald, 21-14, 21-14, to face Rondina and Pons in the Finals.

It will be also an All-Filipino championship in the men’s side, with KR Guzman and Jaron Requinton battling it out with Efraim Dimaculangan and Rancel Varga for the crown.

Guzman and Requinton continued to roll following a 21-16, 21-19 conquest of top-ranked Edmar Bonono and Jude Garcia in the semifinals.

Dimaculangan and Varga topped DMMThailand 2’s Chaiphichit Khongin and Chairat Hanrasa, 21-17, 21-18, in the other semifinal encounter. The championship matches were played late Sunday.