The formidable University of the Visayas (UV) tandem of Jusabelle Brillo and Janez Armie Igot galvanized their status as the nation’s undisputed beach volley queens by
frustrating host University of Mindanao-Tagum, 2-0, in the finals to rule the 1st Globe Visayas-Mindanao Women’s Beach Volley Challenge last October 7 at the Tagum City Beach Velodrome.
Guided by the coaching wits of Raffy Briones, Brillo and Igot topped the Tagum event and gave it as an advance present to UV president and Cebu First District Rep. Eduardo “Eddiegul” R. Gullas, who celebrated his 77th birthday last October 13.
Brillo and Igot, who bested the Kidney Care duo of Florianne Gutierrez and Marites Natad to advance into the final round, literally passed through the eye of a needle before squeezing out a 22-20 win over UM-Tagum in the first set, 22-20.
Brillo and Igot gained much confidence out of that victory as they completely dominated UM-Tagum in the second set, 21-17, to top the three-day tilt organized by the city government of Tagum in association with the Tagum City Volleyball Association (TCVA) as part of the city’s annual Durian Festival.
“It was tough playing before a boisterous partisan crowd. I’m just happy that Brillo and Igot overcame the odds because they fought with grace and kept their focus in the match. They really are determined to win,” said Briones.
“The people there were really impressed with the way my players played that right after the championship the organizers immediately invited us to come back to Tagum and compete in another tournament on November 22-24,” added Briones.
It was UV’s third straight title in a beach volley competition this year. Briones also steered Brillo and Igot to crowning glory in the Nestea Beach Volley Season 11 last summer at the paradise Boracay Island where they pocketed the P100,000 grand prize.
Prior to that, Brillo and Igot dominated the 1st M. Lhuillier Kwarta Padala All-Ladies Beach Volley Invitational last March at the Wiggy’s Beach Resort in Liloan, Cebu.—EBV