MANILA – Negrense Bernadeth Pons and Cherry Rondina cruised to a 2-0 start in the 2019 Rebisco Beach Volleyball International Open at the Sands SM By The Bay in Pasay City.
The Southeast Asian Games-bound pair opened their campaign with a 21-10, 22-20 win over Mer Jauculan and Gen Eslapor of University of Santo Tomas.
After a dominant opening set showing on Friday, Rondina and Pons encountered a rough patch as Jauculan and Eslapor put up a gallant stand.
A Jauculan service ace tied the second set at 20-20 before Rondina put her team at match point with a powerful kill.
Eslapor then committed a net touch violation that gave the straight sets win to Rondina and Pons.
The Visayas duo followed this up with a 21-10, 21-9 romp of Kasem Bundit University of Thailand 2’s Paweena Wong-Aksorn and Duanpen Arsa.
The other Philippine team for the SEA Games, Dij Rodriguez and Dzi Gervacio, made short work of Ilonggas DM Demontaño and Jackie Estoquia of Sta. Lucia, 21-7, 21-9.
Rodriguez and Gervacio then carved out a 21-18, 21-15 decision of KBU-Thailand’s Pawarun Chanthawichai and Mukdao Suchamnong to also remain unbeaten./PN
