RP’s Ilustre, Pascua enter World meet round of 32

Fil-Ams Heidi Ilustre and Diane Pascua continued to dish out fine form as it swept Finland’s Erika and Emilia Nystrom, 21-19, 21-18, last night to barge into the round-of-32 in the 2007 FIVB World Women’s Beach Volley Championships in Gstaad, Switzerland.

The Filipino pair actually finished in a three-way tie for first in Pool E but grabbed second place after emerging with the second best win-loss ratio with 1.333.

Sarah Montagnolli and Sabine Swoboda of Austria, ranked 20th in the event, topped the group with 1.667 ratio.

Fifth pick Natalie Cook and Tamsin Barnett of Australia, whom the RP bets stunned Wednesday, settled for third spot with 1.250 despite a tough 21-12, 16-21, 15-9 triumph over Montagnolli and Swoboda in their last game elims.

Ilustre and Pascua, bronze medalists in the 2005 Manila Southeast Asian Games, thus earned a spot in the round-of-32 where they are assured of at least $7,000 and 200 qualifying points to the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Earlier, Pascua and Ilustre  bowed to Montagnolli and Swoboda, 23-25, 15-21, in the second day of action.

Pascua, 29, and Ilustre, put up a gallant stand in the first set that saw them extend the Austrians to four extra points before dropping a two-point game.    – Joey Villar