Clear favorites emerged in the first day of the 2016 Beach Volleyball Republic Invitational tournament held at Anguib Beach in Sta. Ana, Cagayan, Thursday afternoon.
Being the first international beach volleyball tournament sanctioned by local volleyball authority Larong Volleyball ng Pilipinas, the Invitational brought ten pairs from different parts of the globe along with two local pairs in a three-day beach volleyball extravaganza.
With the 12 teams split into four groups, towering international pairs showed their mettle and dominated.
Pool A saw the Brazilan tandem Mimi Amaral and Bruna Figueredo sweep both their pool matches, ousting Singaporeans Tan Shiang Theng and Ong Wei Yu, 21-13, 21-18, and locals Jennifer Cosas and Dij Rodriguez 21-16, 21-5.
Veteran American duo Jennifer Snyder and Chara Harris made quick work of Hong Kong pair, 21-14, 21-13, then handled BVR founders Charo Soriano and Bea Tan, 21-5, 15-21, 15-5, to top Pool B.
Two-time Southeast Asian Games gold medalist Yupa Thokongploy and her American partner Rachel Sherman rose to the top of Pool C, defeating Singaporeans Rachel Lau Yue Ting and Eliza Chong Hui Hui, 21-5, 21-9, and returning Brazilian duo Erica Adachi and Rupia Inck, 21-17, 21-7.
Julia Tilley and Alica Bain of New Zealand took over Pool D, thwarting American tandem Alexa Micek and Leah Hinkey 23-21, 21-17, and Singaporeans 21-17, 21-10.
The teams that topped each bracket will get a bye into the next round and will await the winners of the crossover elimination matches tomorrow.
Brazilians Inck and Adachi will face Pinays Soriano and Tan in the first crossover match, Hong Kong pair Yee and Tung will take on Singapore’s Hui and Ting, locals pair Cosas and Rodriguez will play Hong Kong tandem Lo and Yeung, while Americans Micek and Hinkey will meet Singaporeans Tan and Ong.
The semifinals and final matches will be on June 11.
Miguel Luis Flores fell face first into sports writing in high sch9l and has never gotten up. He reluctantly stumbled into the volleyball beat when he started with Tiebreaker Times three years ago. Now, he has waded through everything volleyball - from its icky politics to the post-modern art that is Jia Morado's setting.
