ALAS Pilipinas Women's two teams are off to a dream start at the 2024 Asian Beach Volleyball Championships, scoring quick sweeps in pool play on Wednesday at the Nuvali Sand Courts in Sta. Rosa, Laguna.
Khylem Progella and Sofiah Pagara brought down fifth-seeded New Zealand pair Shauna Polley and Olivia MacDonald in a 21-19, 21-18 upset to open Pool E play.
Also off to a flyer was the pair of Gen Eslapor and Kly Orillaneda, who took a 21-19, 21-13 win over Yekaterina Ryukhova and Anastassiya Ukolova of Kazakhstan in Pool F.
What would’ve been a swift first-set win was almost jeopardized after squandering two set points, 19-20 in Alas’ favor.
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Progella and Pagara blew two set points before winning the first before going full throttle in the second set where the No. 21-seed Alas duo led by as much as six, 10-16.
Before New Zealand could launch another comeback, Pagara hit the eventual match-winner to complete the surprise result.
Experience was key for Eslapor and Orillaneda, one of the country’s veteran beach volleyball stars upon holding ground in a close Set 1 start capped by an Eslapor kill.
After a minor Set 1 hiccup in which Orillaneda’s neck hit Ryukhova’s knee, the Alas duo went on to score seven of the last 11 points in the second frame to cap off a winning start for the Philippines in the women’s division.
A steady 22-attack output on five aces and two blocks handed the decorated Eslapor-Orillaneda tandem a swift first victory.
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