Negrenses Cordero, Salarzon got top rookie honors in UAAP beach volley
Negrenses Honey Grace Cordero of National University Lady Bulldogs and Jian Matthew Salarzon of Ateneo de Manila University Blue Eagles got the top rookie honors in the UAAP Season 85 beach volleyball tournament on Tuesday, November 29.
The Negros Occidental’s Silay Citynative Cordero was named as Rookie of the Year in the women’s beach volleyball division after carrying the Lady Bulldogs to a runner-up finish.
Cordero, along with her partner Kly Orillaneda, tried to keep in step with five-peat champions University of Santo Tomas (UST) Golden Tigresses before bowing in the finals, 21-15, 21-16.
The latest championship was the eighth for the Golden Tigresses in the UAAP women’s beach volleyball scene. They also did not lose a set this season and won 37 consecutive matches dating back from 2016.
Cordero was recruited by the Lady Bulldogs to their women’s beach volleyball team during the summer after her solid stint with the Naga College Foundation Inc. Lady Tigers’ indoor and beach volleyball squad.
On the other hand, the Bacolod City-native Salarzon had a solid performance for the Blue Eagles the entire season, but they only settled for a bronze medal finish in the men’s game.
After losing to now four-peat champions UST’s Jaron Requinton and reigning MVP Rancel Varga in the semis, Salarzon and Amil Pacinio claimed the men’s beach volley bronze after a 24-22, 21-16 sweep of Far Eastern University Tamaraws.
Salarzon, a former standout of the Living Stones International School in Bacolod and was also invited to the national men’s volleyball team, is expected to join Ateneo in the indoor volleyball tournament.
Negrense Alyssa Bertolano and Euri Eslapor salvaged a bronze medal finish for University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons in women’s play after a 21-18, 12-21, 15-6 rout of De La Salle University Lady Spikers’ Jolina dela Cruz and Justine Jazareno./ASC,