BACOLOD City – University of Santo Tomas Tiger Sands swept the men’s and women’s division crowns in the 2nd Mayor Albee Benitez Beach Volleyball Tournament on Thursday afternoon at the University of St. La Salle-Sandbox here.
UST Tiger Sands 1 of Sofiah Shanine Pagara and Khylen Harl Progella retained the women’s division title after defeating National University 1 of Kathrina Epa and Honey Grace Cordero in the finals.
This was Pagara’s second consecutive Mayor Albee Benitez Beach Volleyball Tournament after also ruling last year’s tournament with Genesa Eslapor as her sand court partner.
“We are thankful to be able to participate here kasi kailangan namin ng ganitong experience and exposure para mas maging buo pa kami for the upcoming UAAP season,” Pagara said.
On their way to the championship round, UST Tiger Sands 1 defeated Far Eastern University’s Melody Pons and Lovely Lopez, while NU1 ousted NU2’s Kizil Quijote and Liezl Dejan.
Pons and Lopez, meanwhile, salvaged a bronze medal finish after defeating Quijote and Dejan in the battle for third place game.
Meanwhile, UST Tiger Sands 1’s Alche Gupiteo and Dominique Gabito captured the men’s division championship as they prevailed over NU1’s Alexander Iraya and Rain Skyler Gemarino.
To reach the finals, Gupiteo and Gabito ousted UST 2’s Aldwin Gupiteo and Kyle Tandoc in the semis, while Iraya and Gemarino defeated NU 2’s Leo Aringo and Sanjo Kian.
Aldwin and Tandoc, meanwhile, also joined the podium finishers as they prevailed over Aringo and Kian in the bronze medal match.
The tournament, which is in line with Bacolod City’s MassKara Festival, was organized by the Volleyball Association of Negros Island, Inc. and sanctioned by the Philippine National Volleyball Federation./PN
