University of Santo Tomas opened its quest for a third consecutive girls’ title by taking the early lead in the UAAP Season 87 high school beach volleyball tournament on Friday at Sands SM By The Bay.
Last season’s Rookie of the Year Grithney Jhyn Dadang, teaming up with new partner Angelica del Mar, started strong with a 21-13, 21-13 victory over UP Integrated School’s Janella Guarino and Elisha Capus.
The pair returned in the afternoon to dominate De La Salle-Zobel’s Aislinn Alemaña and Sabine Valdez, 21-13, 21-9.
Dadang was part of the Tiger Sands duo with Khy Progella that secured back-to-back championships last year.
(C) UAAP Season 87 Media Team
Last season’s runner-up Far Eastern University-Diliman also had a strong start as Sheena Cafe and Sheila Pascual overpowered De La Salle-Zobel’s Alemaña and Valdez, 21-12, 21-8.
Meanwhile, National University Nazareth School, aiming to improve on its fourth-place finish last year, began its campaign with a victory.
(C) UAAP Season 87 Media Team
Vilmarie Toos and rookie Faith Mangyao defeated Adamson’s first-time partners Ella Gonzalvo and Francheska Adem, 21-13, 21-15.
In the boys’ division, defending champion NUNS had mixed results.
(C) UAAP Season 87 Media Team
After falling to UST’s John Michael Lagaran and Lance Malinao, 13-21, 17-21, in the morning session, Wayne Dionela and Kian Tan bounced back with a 21-13, 21-13 triumph over University of the East’s Clarence Gianan and Buenaventura Limpin.
Dionela partnered with Sky Gemarino last season to win the title.
Gemarino is now part of the Bulldogs’ men’s beach volleyball team, which finished second in last November’s tournament.
FEU-D also split its opening-day matches.
(C) UAAP Season 87 Media Team
Zedrick Calimlim and Samuel Coronel defeated De La Salle-Zobel’s Antonio Luis Papa and Mario Roxas, 21-6, 21-9, to recover from a tough 21-13, 20-22, 12-15 loss to Adamson University’s Brice Malinao and Gian Ygot.
UE’s Gianan and Limpin, who earlier defeated Ateneo’s Ken Nicolas and Santiago Avila, 21-17, 21-18, ended the day at 1-1 after their loss to NUNS.
De La Salle-Zobel’s Papa and Roxas also finished 1-1, following a 21-19, 21-8 win over UPIS’ Terren Villanueva and Marcos Bamba. (TJ)
