SWU, USPF start strong in CESAFI beach volley

CEBU, Philippines - The Southwestern University tandem of Therese Rae Ramas and Florenel Rodriguez may be neophytes, but showed they are a force to reckon after posting a clean 3-0 record that virtually assured them of a final berth in the women's division of the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. (CESAFI) beach volley tournament yesterday at SWU sandcourt.

Ramas and Rodriguez opened their campaign with a 21-11, 21- 12 thrashing Jessa Marie Jorquia, Tovia Kaiko Galeon and Irene Sacil from the University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJ-R). They followed it up with a 21-10,21-19 drubbing of Rochelle Rica and Gelly Murpo of defending champion University of Southern Philippines Foundation (USPF) before repeating their mastery over USJ-R via a 21-13,21-16 decision.

Regardless of the outcome of their last game against USPF in the double round robin elimination this morning, the SWU belles are already ensured of barging into the championship round.

USPF, on the other hand, remained hopeful of retaining their crown after beating USJ-R, 21-10, 21-19.

In the men's division, USPF's Edmar Bonono, JohnTormis and John Ylanan set the pace with three games in a row, starting off with a hard-earned 21-15, 19-21, 17-15 victory over USJ-R's Own Belen, Kevin Petancio and Jade Illut.

Bonono and his teammates survived another tough challenge, this time against SWU's Royet Varga and twins Rommel and Ramil Pepito, 21-23, 21-16, 15-13 before calling it a day with a three-set thriller over University of the Visayas' Mike Abria and Mark Anthony Fernandez, 21-18, 15-21, 17-15.

UV though managed to win against Cebu Institute of Technology-University's Roland Ecot and Earlson Van Mag-uyon, 21-19, 21-11, but faltered at the hands of USJ-R, 21-17, 22-20.  USJ-R stands with a 2-1 win-loss record after it also blasted CIT, 21-9, 21-16.

Unlike the women's category, the men's division follows a single round robin format, with the top four advancing into the crossover semifinals. The  winners will then clash for the coveted title. (FREEMAN)