Adamson University pulled off an opening-day shocker against reigning girls’ champion National University Nazareth School, as Maegan Pineda and Ella Gonzalvo outlasted Faith Mangyao and Alaiza Candelario, 19-21, 21-14, 15-13, Friday in the UAAP Season 88 high school girls’ beach volleyball tournament at Sands SM By The Bay.
After narrowly dropping the opening set, Pineda and Gonzalvo raced to an 8-0 lead in the second frame en route to tying the match.
The Baby Lady Falcons then displayed tremendous composure in the decider to topple the Bullpups in the season’s first match.
Mangyao and Candelario bounced back in the afternoon session, dominating UP Integrated School’s Anya Capus and Niña Abad, 21-7, 21-12, to level NUNS’ record at 1-1.
(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team
Last season’s runner-up University of Santo Tomas posted two wins.
Cheng Dadang and Angelica Del Mar crushed Far Eastern University-Diliman’s Franz Premaylon and Claire Bongo, 21-4, 21-12, before Del Mar teamed up with rookie Jheliane Auxtero to defeat De La Salle Zobel’s Aislinn Alemaña and Beatrice Garrido, 21-11, 21-14.
Capus and Abad earlier delivered UPIS its first win by beating Ateneo’s Louise Atienza and Ainsly Santiago, 21-10, 21-13.
Alemaña then partnered with Tessa Bonafe to sweep University of the East’s Janella Mangahis and Nicole Agustin, 21-11, 21-13, giving De La Salle-Zobel a winning start to its campaign.
(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team
In the boys’ division, defending champion UST secured two victories.
Mark Ian Bihag and JP Apidian defeated FEU-D’s Sam Coronel and Kenneth Maliwanag, 21-9, 21-11, and later overwhelmed De La Salle-Zobel’s Brett Urriquia and John Kooper Arguelles, 21-9, 21-8.
(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team
NUNS also went 2-0, with Kian Tan and Ethan Jadraque subduing Adamson’s Brice Malinao and James Bernabe, 21-8, 21-18, before dispatching UPIS’ Marco Bamba and Justin Jusayan, 21-12, 21-11.
In other boys’ matches, UE’s Mharl Dullete and Emman Marcelino beat De La Salle-Zobel’s Urriquia and Arguelles, 21-15, 21-13, while UPIS’ Bamba and Jusayan overpowered Ateneo’s Xavier Castillo and Ymanuel Cervantes, 21-7, 21-8. – TJ
