UV outlasts SWU to rule M. Lhuillier beach volley

It was a dream final match that thrilled the spectators to the bones. When the dust settled, the Josabelle Brillo and Janiz Igot-manned University of the Visayas (UV) came out smoking the victory cigar.

Brillo and Igot endured a three-set thriller to outlast the equally-tough Southwestern University (SWU) tandem of Janelle Tabio and Marites Natad, 2-1, and clinch the historic championship of the 1st M. Lhuillier Kwarta Padala All Ladies Beach Volley Invitational on Sunday at the Wiggy's Beach Resort in Lilo-an, Cebu.

While UV had little trouble in barging into the final round via a 2-0 sweep (21-10, 21-17) of Hiroshi's Kenneth Cinco and Florianne Gutierrez, Tabio and Natad met strong resistance before repulsing Julette Marikit and Genie Sabas of the University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJ-R) in three sets.

SWU of coach Thelma Datig took the first set, 21-15, but USJ-R recovered from five points down in the second frame to get even, 22-20, and force the match into the decisive third set.

In the rubbermatch, USJ-R of coach Grace Antigua put up one gallant stand, but just as when it threatened at 7-8, misfortune struck the team like thunder when Sabas sprained his right ankle after a collision with Natad.

After a five-minute injury timeout, Sabas decided to continue playing, but the pain of her injury was obvious as she was limping the rest of the way. SWU capitalized on the opportunity to 7-3 rally to seal the match, 15-11, and set up a grand finale with the similarly undefeated UV.

In the championship, Tabio and Natad raced to a 9-6, but the Cebu Diesel Supply-backed UV duo of Brillo and Igot countered with a 13-4 burst en route to a convincing 21-14 victory in the opening set.

It was an air-tight affair in the second set that was accounted for 11 deadlocks and four lead changes. UV led thrice by two points, the last was at 14-12 as SWU launched a 4-0 rally to grab the lead for good, 16-14. UV pulled within 19-20, but Natad's kill enabled SWU to forge a deciding match, 21-19.

In the decider, SWU nailed the first point, but UV responded with a 7-2 blast to take a 7-3 edge. The closest SWU could muster was at 6-8, as a service error by Natad in the ensuing play took its heavy toll on the Spiking Cobras.

Behind Igot's well-calculated kills and Brillo's nice defensive stops and cunning drop shots, UV went on finish off SWU, 15-8, anchored on a game-closing 7-2 run.

"I'm very happy that we won the first ever beach volleyball tournament organized by M. Lhuillier. I'd like to thank God for this victory and to the Gullases for their all-out support to the team. And of course, to my players because they're the ones playing," said UV head coach Raffy Briones.

UV's Brillo and Igot took home P5,000 and six months workout for free at Bodytone.

Brillo basked in a double celebration as she also claimed the coveted MVP honors that entitled her to a total of nine months workout for free at Bodytone, one of Cebu's leading fitness centers.

SWU settled for the P3,000 second prize, but found an added reason to celebrate as Tabio was crowned as "Darling of the Crowd" in the two-weekend tilt organized by the M. Lhuillier Sports Development Foundation (MLSDF) and made possible by M. Lhuillier Kwarta Padala, M. Lhuillier pawnshops, ML Pamilya Insurance Plans, Western Union, Bodytone, Nature's Spring and the municipality of Lilo-an under the dynamic leadership of Mayor Maria Anne Sevilla.

Hiroshi got P2,000 for finishing third, while the fourth placer USJ-R received P1,500. Hiroshi automatically won the third place honors as USJ-R politely declined to play so as not to aggravate Sabas' injury.

Event organizer and MLSDF executive director Eddie B. Ybañez and Mayor Sevilla's husband George were on hand to award the trophies, medals, and cash prizes to the winners.