SISI Rondina and Bernadeth Pons took down Japan's Shinako Tanaka and Miyuki Matsumura, 21-14, 21-8, on Friday to reach the Round of 12 in the FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour Boracay Open presented by Globe at the White House Beach.
It was a big win for Rondina, who with Dzi Gervacio last year lost to Tanaka and Fujii Sakurako in the Manila Open quarterfinals.
Rondina and Pons, who swept the Philippine Superliga Beach Volleyball Challenge Cup in 2017 and 2018 with for Petron XCS, take on another Japanese team in Satono Ishitsubo and Asami Shiba on Saturday for an outright quarterfinal berth.
‘SiPons’ to fellow players, the Rondina and Pons were the only Filipinas to on Friday as Bea Tan and Dij Rodriguez bowed to Singapore's Eliza Chong and Lau Ee Shan, 21-17, 13-21, 14-16, while Jackie Estoquia and DM Demontaño suffered a 18-21, 14-21 setback to Australia's Brittany Kendall and Stefanie Weiler.
Tan and Rodriguez try to stay in the hunt as they face Tan Hsi Yan and Tasha Mae of Malaysia, while and Estoquia-Demontaño also hope to remain in contention as they battle Ekaterina Filina and Ekaterina Zazhigina of Russia.
In men's play, James Buytrago and Krung Arbasto lost to Singapore's Fan Shen and Kingsley Tay, 12-21, 21-18, 5-15.
Jessie Lopez and Ranran Abdilla were defeated by Norway's Ruben Lovli and Kjetil Tellnes, 21-19, 19-21, 8-15, while Jade Becaldo and Mike Abria suffered a 15-21, 14-21 loss to Japan's Jumpei Ikeda and Katsuhiro Shiratori.
Just under a week after playing for University of Santo Tomas in the UAAP women’s volleyball finals against champion Ateneo, Rondina is back in action.
“Actually two days lang yung training ko. But, before entering the training, naka-mindset na ako na babalik ako sa outdoors," said Rondina, a four-time UAAP beach volleyball champion.
“Ngayon, blessed kasi nanalo kami for the first time. Siyempre, Japan iyun. Mahirap din kalaban ang Japan. Nakapag-adjust kami agad ni Pons and ayun, nanalo," she added.
Pons felt they played more aggressive than the Japanese.
“Hindi sila masyadong nababa-block kaya kailangan naman namin umatake. So iyun ang ginawa namin," Pons said.
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