MANILA – Bacolod pair Bianca Lizares and Honey Grace Cordero settled for a runner up finish in the women’s division of the Beach Volleyball Republic on Tour Candon City leg over the weekend at the Darapidap Beach in Candon City, Ilocos Norte.
The Bacolodnon pair fell short of the goal after suffering a heartbreaking 21-17, 17-21, 15-11 defeat at the hands of National University’s Kly Orillaneda and Kathrina Epa in the finals.
After suffering a close defeat in the opening set, Lizares and Cordero surged Bacolod to a 14-7 second set advantage against Orillaneda and Epa and never looked back to force a decider.
Bacolod looked headed to completing a come-from-behind stunner as they took a 9-6 third set advantage after a Cordero kill but Orillaneda and Epa stormed back and grabbed a 11-10 lead.
Lizares’ hit forced the match’s last deadlock at 11-11 before Epa scored back-to-back points to give NU a 13-11 advantage before Orillaneda’s loop shot put her team at match point and Epa delivered the championship-sealing kill.
Despite the loss, the second place was the best finish for the 5-foot-7 Lizares since started competing in the BVR on Tour in the Santa Fe, Bantayan Island in March 2018 with Jennifer Cosas as her partner.
On the part of Orillaneda, her previous best finish was in the 2018 December Open when she and Ilongga Roma Joy Doromal placed second behind Dzi Gervacio and Bea Tan. This was also Epa’s best BVR on Tour finish since making her debut in 2019.
On their way to the championship, Lizares and Cordero prevailed over West V’s Bea Tan and Jennifer Cosas, 21-11, 17-21, 15-10, while Orillaneda and Epa turned back Bacolodnon Beautiliza Lomocso and Jana Cane of Ateneo 2, 21-17, 21-13.
Negrenses Tan and Cosas, meanwhile, salvaged a bronze medal finish in the two-day event following a 21-14, 21-19 triumph over Lomocso and Cane of Ateneo 2 in the battle-for-third place game.
In the men’s division, Harbor Pilot’s Ranran Abdilla and Rancel Varga downed National University’s Pol Salvador and Alex Iraya, 21-13, 21-10, to clinch the crown and complete a perfect 5-0 campaign./PN
