MANILA – Guimarasnon Jovelyn Gonzaga and Cherry Ann Rondina emerged as champions in the Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour Futures held recently at the Subic Bay Sand Court.
The Gonzaga-Rondina tandem earned the distinction as “Queens of the Sands” by defeating fellow Filipinas Genesa Eslapor and Floremel Rodriguez, 22-24, 21-12, 15-12, in the finals.
Rondina felt cramps creeping from her right leg toward her thigh in the entire match and Eslapor needed a five-minute medical timeout in the second set to suppress cramps that rose from her thighs to her abdomen.
But both sides hung tough with Espalor coming off the medical timeout with four consecutive service aces to push her PHL Blue team closer to Rondina’s Blue squad, 10-12, in the decider.
But Rondina, who was often seen pulling the toes of her right foot upwards to avoid cramps, endured and nailed the match’s last three points to clinch the championship in the tourney.
“I and Jovelyn were tired after having gone through the competition, the pressure and the strong opposition,” said Rondina, who captured two SEA Games beach volleyball bronze. “I could hardly jump, even during our pre-final training.”
“Honestly, we never expected this one, all of us,” added Gonzaga, who was a decorated beach volleybelle during her time with Central Philippine University. “Credit to them [Eslapor-Rodriguez pair], they are also good and strong.
Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) president Ramon “Tats” Suzara said the 1-2 finish in a Volleyball World event is the best performance by any Philippine beach volleyball team.
“The result augurs well for Philippine volleyball and for sure, the PNVF national team program will push toward getting better in the international arena,” Suzara said.
Rondina and Gonzaga booted out Israel’s Yahli Ashush and Anita Dave, 20-22, 21-8, 17-15, while Eslapor and Rodriguez eliminated Japan’s Miyu Sakamoto and Mayu Sawame, 16-21, 28-26, 15-13, in the semifinals round./PN
