Negrense crowned after rout
Abanse Negrense's power duo of Alexa Polidario and Erjane Magdato never dropped a single set en route to getting crowned as the queens of the first volleyball tournament in the country amid the pandemic.
Polidario and Magdato capped their perfect run in the historic 2021 Gatorade-Philippine Superliga (PSL) Beach Volleyball Challenge Cup with a 21-15, 21-17 victory over DM Demontano and Jackie Estoquia of Sta. Lucia A in the finals on Sunday, Feb. 28, at the SBMA Sand Court in Subic, Zambales.
Polidario came through with the huge attacks including the title-clinching hit as the stalwarts from University of Negros Occidental-Recoletos com
pleted a six-game sweep in the threeday tourney under a sports bubble concept.
"Sobrang saya. It's a blessing kasi kahit first time namin mag-join sa ganitong league at nakuha namin 'yung championship (We're so happy. It's a blessing for us because this is the first time we joined a league this big and we won the championship)," said an emotional Polidario.
Despite coming off an 11-month layoff, Abanse Negrense A dominated the three-game pool play before booting out Toby's Sports in the quarterfinals on Saturday and taking down the veteran-laden Sta. Lucia B in the semifinals earlier.
Demontano and Estoquia suffered another heartbreaker in their third straight finals appearance for the Lady Realtors as they settled for the runner-up finish anew.
It was a double celebration for the Visayan squad, meanwhile, as the Abante Negrense B pair of Gelimae Villanueva and Jennifer Cosas snared the bronze with a 21-13, 22-20 squeaker over the Sta. Lucia B duo of Bang Pineda and Jonah Sabete.
Kyla Gallego and Jennymar Senares of F2 Logistics pounded Ella Viray and Theresa Ramas of United Auctioneers, Inc., 21-14, 21-11, to wrest the fifth place.
Jonah San Pedro and Javen Sabas of Toby's Sports would not go home empty-handed as they beat Ariane Alarcon and Christina Canares of the winless Kennedy Solar Energy-Petro Gazz, 21-14, 21-14, for the seventh place.