Davao pair enters semis in BVR Int’l

SANTA ANA, Cagayan – Davao’s Lot Catubag and Karen Quilario of Davao led the Philippines semifinalists in the CEZA and First Cagayan Beach Volleyball Republic International Santa Ana Open yesterday here.

Catubag and Quilario, the reigning BVR women’s national champions, turned back Hong Kong’s Chan Mei Kit and Yip Wai Yan, 21-10, 21-13, and Iloilo’s DM Demontaño and Jackie Estoquia, 21-13, 21-19, to seize the Group B lead with a 2-0 card.

Also making it to the semis are Harbor Pilot-Cebu’s Therese Ramas and Dij Gutierrez, and Tuguegarao’s Charo Soriano and Bea Tan.

Ramas and Gutierrez made quick work of Far Eastern U’s MJ Ebro and Ivana Agudo, 21-7, 21-11, and Singapore’s Tin Lai Ng and Tan Shiang Theng, 21-15, 21-13.

Capitalizing on better wind conditions this time after a rough training Friday, Soriano and Tan overcame a close first set to beat Ng and Theng, 2220, 21-15, before returning with a 21-14, 21-16 conquest of Ebro and Agudo.

Sporting identical 2-0 records in Group A, Soriano and Tan will face Ramas and Gutierrez for the top ranking in the semifinals later in the afternoon.

The battle for the remaining semis berth boils down between Demontaño and Estoquia and Singapore Merlion Kelly Yuen and Huang Zihui.

After losing to Demontaño and Estoquia, 12-21, 21-15, 7-15, Yuen and Huang kept their hopes alive by topping Chan and Yip, 21-16, 21-16.

In the men’s division, Czech Republic’s Dominik Samen and Martin Samec made a statement on their title aspirations after posting two straight victories.