Ilongo’s Pride cops title

Showcasing its vaunted power at the net once again, Ilongo’s Pride repeated over Armed Forces Research Development Command in straight sets yesterday to wrest the first Nestea Beach Volleyball National Open crown at the CCP Complex.

Iloilo’s exciting tandem of Herminio Gallo and Parley Tupaz, both members of the men’s national team, outsteadied the veteran pair of Rustico Camangian and Rhovyl Verayo, 21-16, 25-23, as they clinched the men’s crown and the top purse of P30,000 that went with it.

After a breeze in the first set, Ilongo’s Pride encountered some trouble in the second as Camangian and Verayo, both RP beach volleyball mainstays, got their game going.

But Ilongo's Pride won't be denied a straight-set win as Gallo and Tupaz showed grace under pressure.

With the count tied at 23-all, 24-year-old Gallo, an education degree holder from FEU, delivered two powerful kills to clinch the victory that sent their supporters jumping for joy.

"Alam namin mag-iiba ang laro nila nung una naming pagtatagpo kaya pinaghandaan namin sila talaga," said Gallo, who partnered with Tupaz in a 12th place finish out of 20 entries in a beach volleyball event in Thailand in 1999.

"Kaya nung magtabla kami sa second set, nag-usap kami nang kaunti ni Parley at napaganda naman dahil ako ’yung tumapos sa dalawa kong hataw," added Gallo, whose team also won over AFRDC in the qualifying round, 21-19, 21-16.

Meanwhile, Foundation University of Dumaguete’s Eduard Balbuena and Isidro Bongcasan trounced Bicol’s Choy Buquid and Mimi Dacorong, 21-15, 15-21, 15-10, for third place.

Sharing the limelight with Ilongo’s Pride was Philippine Navy 2, which scuttled a listless Air Force 2 side, 21-12, 21-16, to cop the women’s crown.

So overpowering was the beauteous duo of Johanna Botor and Helen Dosdos that the two needed no more than 17 minutes to beat Air Force 2’s Pine Estrada and Josie May dela Rosa and complete a sweep in this event sponsored by Nestea Ice Tea. — Joey Villar