HARBOR Pilots’ Ranran Abdilla and Rancel Varga claimed their second consecutive Beach Volleyball Republic on Tour men’s championship after completing a flawless campaign in the Sipalay City leg on Sunday at Poblacion Beach.
Abdilla and Varga dominated Toto de Pedro and Eljhay Ronquillo of Abanse Negrense, winning 21-15, 21-11, to maintain their unbeaten record of 5-0 without dropping a set.
In the women’s division, Grass to Bone’s Honey Grace Cordero and Roma Joy Doromal also remained undefeated in their five matches. They defeated Abanse Negrense’s Bea Tan and Jennifer Cosas in the final with a score of 21-15, 21-17.
Following their victory in Candon City, Abdilla and Varga defeated Ateneo’s Amil Pacinio and Jian Salarzon in the semifinals, winning 21-12, 21-10. They then secured a 21-10, 21-6 victory against Allaine Tejares and John Carl Araneta of D’Prints in the quarterfinals.
Abdilla, standing at 6-foot-4, now holds six BVR on Tour titles, while Varga claimed his fourth gold. In the other half of the Final Four, De Pedro and Ronquillo defeated Beach Volleyball Manila’s AJ Pareja and Vincent Nadera with a score of 21-15, 21-14.
This championship marked the first-ever BVR on Tour victory for Cordero and Doromal. Cordero, the UAAP Season 85 Rookie of the Year from NU, finished second with her partner Bianca for Bacolod in the previous Candon City leg.
Doromal, on the other hand, did not reach the semifinals with her partner Cherilyn Sindayen.
Cordero and Doromal staged a comeback after losing a set to defeat UNO-R’s Gelimae Villanueva and Kyla Gallego in the semifinals with a score of 16-21, 21-15, 15-5. They also overcame DLSU’s Matet Espina and Maicah Larroza in the quarterfinals, winning 21-16, 21-16.
Tan and Cosas, who finished third in Candon City, outlasted Preska’s Lizares and MJ Ebro in a thrilling match with a score of 21-17, 21-23, 15-8 in the other semifinals.
Villanueva and Gallego claimed third place in the women’s division. Meanwhile, Pacinio and Salarzon secured a spot on the men’s podium, surpassing their fourth-place finish in Candon City.
