Spikers’ Turf recent champions Criss Cross have always shared a strong connection with beach volleyball.
King Crunchers’ ultimate ace Jude Garcia was a three-time Southeast Asian Games bronze medalist on the sand before bringing his dominance to Spikers’ Turf, where he has become the league’s most decorated player with four Most Valuable Player awards.
Jaron Requinton also had his moments for Criss Cross in the league organized by Sports Vision, wreaking havoc during the 2025 season.
In this 2026 Open Conference, Criss Cross has unearthed another gem from the sands in Alche Gupiteo.
The 6-foot-3 outside spiker, a product of the UST beach program, has been a revelation since being inserted into the starting lineup at the start of the conference, posting double-digit scoring performances in all seven games for the King Crunchers so far.
With his beach background, his defense has also been on point, making him a key contributor to Criss Cross’ undefeated run to date, including two big wins over new rival Savouge Aesthetics.
For Gupiteo, the transition has been seamless thanks to teammates who have also walked the path from sand to taraflex.
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“Hindi ko inexpect na pagkakatiwalaan agad ako kasi nga beach volleyball talaga ako eh, so ang daming factors na dapat baguhin the way na mag-approach ako sa dynamics ng training sa indoor,” said Gupiteo.
“Nandiyan naman sila Kuya Jaron, Kuya Jude, Kuya Arbasto na mga beach volleyball din and other seniors namin na nag-guide din sa akin,” he added.
Even the coaching staff reflects this beach volleyball influence, with assistant coaches Paul Jan Doloiras and Romnick Rico—the duo that brought UST’s sand program to the top of the UAAP countless times.
Gupiteo is currently fourth in scoring in the league with 92 points, second in spiking (46.02%), fifth in service, and first in reception with a 60.71% efficiency.
However, he admitted that their most recent clash with the Spin Doctors was the toughest this conference. The King Crunchers had to reset after dropping the third set to secure a four-set win, 25-21, 25-19, 20-25, 25-19, last Wednesday at the Filoil Centre.
That victory pushed them into the round-robin semifinals, where stakes will be higher and competition fiercer.
“Actually, mahirap siya. Savouge is a really good team talaga. Siyempre kinakabahan din ako kasi first time ko eh, pero ang sabi lang talaga sa amin ni Coach Tai, be happy lang and kalimutan lahat ng errors,” said Gupiteo.
Criss Cross still has three preliminary-round games remaining before the semifinals. They will face AEP Cabstars on Wednesday, March 17, at the Filoil Centre, before finishing their schedule against VNS Always Bright Laticrete and 3B.
