Cebu teams ready for Nestea Beach Volleyball

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu teams are all primed up and ready for the Visayas eliminations of the Nestea Beach Volley 2009, which will be hosted by the Queen City of the South for the first time from April 16 to 18 at the Parkmall in North reclamation area.

Last year, Southwestern University ’s Janelle Tabio and Florian Gutierrez continued Cebu’s dominance by taking the national crown.

Prior to that, Cebu also topped the annual tilt courtesy of the formidable University of the Visayas (UV) tandem of Jusabelle Brillo, who is now with the RP team, and Janez Armie Igot.

This time around, it will be a totally different ballgame as SWU will field in rookies Danika Gendrauli and Lorie May Layno. Ditto with UV, who will tap the services of greenhorns Ivy Abella and Noriena Castro.

The University of Southern Philippines Foundation (USPF) will still have Ericka Camille Verano and Harlene Ybarita, while the University of San Jose Recoletos (USJ-R) of Cebu Sports Hall of Famer coach Grace Antigua will parade former RP Youth members Genie Sabas and Michelle Simbajon.

In the men’s bracket, USPF will also commission their prized rookies in Edward Ybañez and Christopher Ryan Abut.

Former USPF star player James Ryan Rivera will not banner UV’s campaign alongside Jade Becaldo.

The University of San Carlos (USC), which missed the action last year because of the National PRISAA Games in Zamboanga City, will still count the most from Roderick Arenasa, who will now be paired with Kennith Bensig.

After failing to barge into the national finals last year, USJ-R will again try their luck by retaining the powerful duo of Ariel Carumba and Louijie Tipgos.

Meanwhile, Nestea made amendments on its rule by stating that players must not be more than 24 years old on or before May 10 to qualify for the country’s premier beach volleyball competition. They must also be enrolled in their respective schools.

The competition will follow the FIVB modified double elimination format.

Only the top three teams in the regionals, which was held in Bacolod last year, will advance to the national finals in Boracay Island on May 6-9.

The regional championship for Luzon will be on March 4 at the SM Mall of Asia in Pasay City, while the Mindanao leg will be on March 25 in Davao City. (THE FREEMAN)