Ateneo pair enters Petron volley semis

CLARK Field, Pampanga –Ateneo bets Asia Urquico and Jessica Morado stepped up their frontline attacks and crushed Hannah Bernisi and Celimar Buencamino, 21-14, to complete a four-game sweep of their elimination-round assignments yesterday in the third leg of the 2007 Petron Ladies Beach Volleyball Tournament at the Clearwater Country Club here.

A variety of shots from the lovely Ateneo pair kept Bernisi and Buencamino at bay, enabling the 19-year-old Urquico and Morado to reach the semifinals of this two-day beach volley extravaganza, sponsored by Petron.

The two were joined in the semifinals by the comebacking Sheryl Laborte and Bacolod campaigner Jenny Torres, who were also unbeaten after four matches in Group A.

The beach volley event, organized by former Philippine Sports Commission commissioner Tisha Abundo, is sponsored by Petron, Mikasa Balls, Speedo, ACSAT, Summit Drinking Water, Gatorade, Clearwater Country Club and Arellano University. Solar Sports Entertainment will air the tournament with the assistance of Smart.

Urquico’s service winner broke a 10-all deadlock and gave her team the lead. Two powering smashes from Morado minutes later gave the Lady Eagles a 15-10 edge. A pair of aces and a couple of drop shots from Morado enabled them to dictate the pace from there, en route to the victory.

“Ang daming hulog ni Jessica sa net. Since mahaba ang bola ko, sabi ko sa kanya, i-place na niya sa harap kapag may nakita siyang butas,” said Urquico, a biology freshman.

Laborte, who coaches the Miriam College varsity team and was a champion here two years ago, capped her team’s sweep with a 21-8 subduing of Arellano University bets Razellene Pilar and Joy Basas.

Philippine School of Business Administration’s hotshots Jessica Ticala and Angelica Quinlog turned back Angel Tio Cuison and Valerie Tilos, 21-14, for their second straight win for the day in the battle for the second semis slot in Group B.

Ticala and Quinlog made it to the semis with their 3-1 win-loss record after earlier prevailing over Bernisi and Buencamino, 21-14.

Asian College of Science and Technology’s Mary Jane Porcia and Mary Anne Calleja put away Arellano contenders Cherry Ferrer and Katrina Rimpillo, 21-14, and then leaned on the winner-over-the-other rule to make it to semis. The rule was applied after Porcia and Calleja shared the same 2-2 slate with Ferrer and Rimpillo.