Sisi Rondina and James Buytrago. | BVR photos
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Cebuano volleyball standouts Sisi Rondina and James Buytrago stamped their class in the Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) Beach Volleyball National Open, ruling their respective divisions in the one-day tournament held at the Nuvali Sand Courts in Santa Rosa City, Laguna.
Rondina, partnering with long-time teammate Bernadeth Pons, claimed the women’s crown, while Buytrago teamed up with Jude Garcia to capture the men’s title in their first pairing.
Rondina and Pons pulled off a gritty comeback in the all-Alas Pilipinas women’s finals, overcoming Sunny Villapando and Dij Rodriguez in 17-21, 21-16, 16-14. The veteran pair had breezed through their first three matches to reach the finals with little resistance.
However, Villapando and Rodriguez, playing together for the first time, proved to be their toughest test. After dropping the opening set, Rondina and Pons responded with urgency, rallying to win the next two frames and complete a flawless 5-0 campaign.
In their pool play, Rondina and Pons dominated National University Nazareth School’s Faith Mangyao and Liezl Dejan, 21-11, 21-6, and University of the Philippines’ Euri Eslapor and Kassie Doering, 21-12, 21-15.
They advanced by sweeping Alas teammates Jenny Gaviola and Alexa Polidario, 21-9, 21-12, in the quarterfinals, and then outclassed Sofiah Pagara and Cebuana prospect Khy Progella, 21-15, 21-19, in the semifinals.
Villapando and Rodriguez secured their finals berth by ousting National University’s Kizil Doren Quijote and Honey Grace Cordero, 21-13, 21-11, in the Final Four.
MEN’S FINALS MATCH
On the men’s side, Buytrago and Garcia, emerged victorious after their fellow Alas teammates Ronniel Rosales and another Cebuano star, Rancel Varga, conceded the finals match due to injury.
Buytrago and Garcia won the first set, 21-14, and were leading 9-5 in the second when Rosales suffered cramps and was unable to continue, handing the title to the former.
The win capped an otherwise dominant run by Buytrago and Garcia, who went unbeaten in five matches leading to the finals.
In pool play, they defeated UP’s Christian Pitogo and Angelo Lipata, 21-16, 21-11, and Intra Asian Volleyballista’s Krung Arbasto and Dominique Gabito, 21-15, 21-14.
They then eliminated College of Saint Benilde’s Mark Jun Garcia and Alvin Sulayman, 21-14, 21-15, in the quarterfinals and edged Alas teammates Ranran Abdilla and Edwin Tolentino, 21-15, 21-17, in the semis.
Rosales and Varga reached the finals after surviving a thrilling three-set battle against NU Nazareth School’s Alex Cabatuan and Sky Gemarino, 21-17, 20-22, 15-13.
A total of 27 teams with 12 in the women’s division and 15 in the men’s vied in this one-day event.