Gen Eslapor and Roma Joy Doromal completed a dominant run in the BVR Recharged presented by Aboitiz Land at Seafront Residences with a 21-15, 21-8 victory over PetroGazz’s Bea Tan and Dzi Gervacio to capture the women’s gold medal on Saturday in San Juan, Batangas.
Eslapor, a silver medalist in the 2022 Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour Futures in Subic and a two-time UAAP champion, was fluid in her attacking game, while Doromal unleashed sharp serves to prevail in the 28-minute contest. The Doromal-Eslapor tandem went undefeated in five matches.
UST 1’s Dominique Gabito and Alchie Gupiteo defeated AMC Cotabato 1’s Krung Arbasto and Rancel Varga, 21-15, 21-17, to win the men’s division with a five-match sweep.
The silver medal turned out to be a good comeback for the Tan-Gervacio pair, who maintained their tried and tested chemistry that resulted in numerous successes in the past. Two of the BVR founders, Tan and Gervacio, last played together in 2018 when they won the BVR On Tour December Open at the Sands SM By The Bay.
Displaying a no-quit attitude, Delimondo’s Bianca Lizares fought through cramps to help her former college teammate Jannine Navarro subdue Grace Pharmacy 2’s Cherilyn Sindayen and Raprap Aguilar, 24-22, 21-19, to secure the bronze medal.
Seasoned campaigners AJ Pareja and Henry Pecaña completed the men’s podium finishers with a 21-17, 21-17 victory over AMC Cotabato 2’s Pemie Bagalay and Julius Sioson. “It was a well-fought and exciting game,” said Aboitiz Land CEO Dave Rafael during the awards ceremony.
In the women’s semifinals, Eslapor and Doromal made short work of Sindayen and Aguilar, 21-13, 21-8, while Tan and Gervacio topped Lizares and Navarro, 21-11, 21-19. Gabito and Gupiteo, who also went perfect in five matches, tripped Pareja and Pecaña, 21-15, 21-15, in the men’s semis, while Arbasto and Varga beat Bagalay and Sioson, 21-12, 21-10, in an all-AMC Cotabato pairing.
Completing the women’s cast are Ateneo’s Pia Ildefonso and Jana Cane, Grace Pharmacy 1’s Yumi Furukawa and Melody Pons, UST’s Khylem Progella and Grydelle Matibag, and Gozos’ Derie Virtusio and Criselda Rondina. The men’s division was also participated in by DF Bulacan Star’s Evan John Michael Cruz and Alecson Hernandez, UST 2’s Kenneth Salvador and Ron Poja, Ateneo’s Anjo Almadro and Onyl Canson, and FEU’s Judi Garriedo and Vincent Nadera.
