Cebu teams start bid for glory in Nestea beach volley

Cebu’s brightest stars in the beach volley constellation start their bid for supremacy as the 2007 Nestea Beach Volley National Finals comes off the wraps today at the tropical paradise Boracay Island.

Five of the six Visayas qualifiers are from the Queen City of the South, thus, bolstering its chances to reclaim the championship its last won two years ago.

Three of the Cebu teams that will compete in the three-day tilt are in the women’s division. These are the Visayas leg champion University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJ-R), the M. Lhuillier Sports Development Foundation (MLSDF)-backed University of the Visayas (UV) and Southwestern University (SWU).

In the men’s side, the Cebuano contingent pin its hopes on the University of Southern Philippines Foundation (USPF) and the University of San Carlos. The other Visayas semifinalist is the Foundation University (FU) of Dumaguete City.

Completing the women’s entries are Luzon winners Far Eastern University, Lyceum and Adamson University and Mindanao leg qualifiers Holy Cross College of Davao and the University of Mindanao-Tagum (UMT).

The overall champion will take home a hefty P150,000 paycheck in the event co-sponsored by Speedo, Mikasa, Villa de Oro Boracay, Boracay Mandarin Island Hotel, Boracay Gold Crowne Club, Microtel Inns and Suites Boracay, Hey! Jude @ D’Mall and D’Mall D’Boracay.

Also supporting the annual summer spectacle that has become a regular attraction to the tourist-haven Boracay resort are La Salle Greenhills, Schering Plough Coppertone and Crystal Sand. — EBV