STA. ROSA, Laguna — They had to do it the hard way, but Alas Pilipinas’ Ranran Abdilla and James Buytrago are inside the pool play winners’ circle in the 2024 Asian Beach Volleyball Championships on Wednesday at the Nuvali Sand Courts.
The Alas Men duo overturned a sorry first-set loss and pulled away with a 22-24, 24-22, 15-9 escape from Japan’s Yoshi Hasegawa and Dylan Kurokawa, to carry a 1-1 card ahead of a decisive prelims finale against Thailand in the afternoon session.
An extended opening frame saw the nationals squander two set points for what could’ve been an early edge over their Japanese foes.
Brave as they come, however, the Abdilla-Buytrago pair didn't get struck by lightning twice after saving two match points to force the first three-set contest for any Alas team in the tournament.
Japan stepped on the gas late in the tiebreak, as it erased an early 2-6 deficit to avert imminent disaster.
But a determined Alas side won’t be deterred and scored nine of the match’s final 12 points to call game, set, and match for their first victory on home soil.
Alas won't be denied
“Wala nang mas sasarap sa pakiramdam (kundi) panalo, pero hindi pa tapos ‘yung laban,” said Abdilla, a former Southeast Asian (SEA) Games beach volleyball silver medalist.
“Alam ko sa sarili ko na kapag binigay ko lang nang basta-basta ‘yung service ko, talagang papatay at papatay lang ‘yung kalaban. Kinailangan ko talagang makaporsyento at kargahan ‘yung service. Umayon naman sa’kin ‘yung service ko, nagtuloy-tuloy, kaya nakahabol kami.”
Buytrago added, “Hindi kami papayag na matatalo sa third set. Pinanghawakan talaga namin yung pagod namin. Naggo-grow pa kasi yung team namin kasi bago pa lang kami na mag-partner at nakapag-adjust naman.
"Nakuha na namin yung connection namin sa defense and sa block kaya na-overcome ‘yung mga pagkukulang namin.”
A win over Thailand with a superior sets ratio will send Abdilla and Buytrago to the Round of 16.
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