SWU wins Nestea Beach Volley title

BORACAY ISLAND — Southwestern University beach volleyball queens - Florian Gutierrez and Janelle Tabio - came back from a first set deficit to bag the women’s crown of the 12th Nestea Beach Volley National Circuit here in the Philippines’ island paradise.

Gutierrez and Tabio regrouped in time to beat UV’s Jusabelle Brillo and Janez Armie Igot 18-21, 21-19, 15-11.

Brillo and Igot pounced on the SWU duo with precise attacks and solid defense in the first set, but were unable to match the ferocity of Gutierrez and Tabio when they got going in the second and third sets.

The win avenged the semifinal loss of Gutierrez and Tabio to the UV duo. The SWU belles had a must-win game against Adamson after losing to UV, but they showed they have the heart of champions, and did just that. They disposed of Adamson University and latter Far Eastern University to arrange and title showdown with UV.

“I’m so proud of my players because they really did their best and I could see the eagerness within them to really win the title. I’m so overwhelmed that in my first coaching stint for SWU, we got the championship title back. We are so very, very, very thankful to our ever-supportive athletic director, Ryan Aznar, for his undying support for the team,” said Coach Janeth Ponte.

This is Gutierrez’ fourth championship after winning in 2003, 2004, and 2005. She is very grateful that she once again won the title with Tabio. “I’m so happy that upon my return and at the same time, my last playing year in the Nestea beach volley, we brought back the title again for our school. It was a fulfillment and a success for us,” said Gutierrez.

Despite, the loss, UV’s Brillo and Igot gave a good account of themselves.

“We are just so lucky that we still reached the championship despite Brillo’s dysmenorrhea. It’s just that it’s not our luck to win this year. The girls did give their best and it’s an honor to give the crowd a very good championship game,” Coach Briones of UV said.

Cebu, however, failed to make it a double victory after USPF’s Jonrey “Air” Sasing and James Ryan Rivera lost to Foundation University’s Arnel Amadeo and Rolando Agos 15-21, 14-21.

The other winners in the tournament were the University of St. La Salle-Bacolod and Far Eastern University who bagged third place in the men and women’s divisions, respectively.

The champions received P 125, 000, the second placers P80,000 and third placers P 55,000, plus medals and trophies.