Foundation U trips USJR, reaches Nestea volley finals

MANDAUE CITY , Philippines  – Defending men’s champion Foundation University (FU) beat University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJR), 27-25, 21-7, in yesterday’s semifinal round of the Nestea Fit Beach Volley National Circuit ’09 Visayas leg at the Piazza Area in Parkmall to clinch a national finals berth.

But Southwestern University (SWU), the defending women’s champion, bowed to University of San Agustin (USA), 21-18, 21-17, in the battle for the third and last berth for Visayas in the national finals.

The Dumaguete-based pair of Arnel Amadeo and Buensuceso Sayson struggled in the tightly-fought first set but picked up their game in the second to complete the victory over the USJR pair of Ariel Carumba and Loujei Tipgos.

“We struggled in the first set but we recovered with our defense and block in the second,” said the 20-year-old Amadeo, who will be seeking his second consecutive national title in the finals set May 7-9 in Boracay.

Jade Becaldo and Precioso Bendijo of University of Visayas (UV) beat Jason Labuyo and Belson Ocampo of Iloilo Doctors College (IDC), 25-23, 14-21, 15-13, in the other men’s semifinal match to advance to the national finals.

USJR bounced back from its loss to FU by beating IDC, 21-10, 21-19, in the battle for third to snatch the final Visayas slot.

SWU, a four-time national champion, failed to sustain its form as Danika Yolanda Gendrauli and Lori May Layno dropped a 16-21, 33-35 loss to Julie Anne Billote and Ruby Rose Bordon of University of Negros Occidental-Recoletos (UNOR in the semis.

The win allowed the UNO-R girls to book a return trip to the national finals after a five-year absence.

University of Southern Philippines Foundation (USPF) also gained a seat in the women’s national finals by downing University of San Agustin (USA), 21-14, 23-21.

FU coach Dwight Sun is confident Amadeo and Sayson, the 2008 University Games champion, will remain a force to reckon with in Boracay.

“They have the same body and built. They are quick and can adjust easily,” said Sun.

Billote and Bordon, the 2009 Negros Occidental Private Schools Sports, Cultural and Educational Association (NOPSCEA) beach volleyball champions, came back from 16-20 down in the second set and survived 15 set-points to beat SWU.

“It was an unbelievable match,” said the 22-year-old Billote, the other half of the team that last played in the national finals in 2004.

FU, UV and USJR will be joined by Luzon qualifiers Far Eastern University, Colegio de San Juan De Letran, and San Beda College, and Mindanao entrants Mindanao State University-Tawi Tawi, University of Mindanao-Davao and Mahardika Institute of Technology in the national finals.

UNOR, USPF and USA will vie for the national title against Luzon teams Adamson, FEU and University of the Cordilleras and Mindanao squads University of Mindanao-Davao, University of Mindanao-Tagum and Holy Cross of Davao College.