UE standouts shock Letran's fancied duo

PUERTO Princesa City, Philippines  – University of the East-1 standouts Francislyn Cais and Jessica Paron stunned last year’s finalist Marinelle Carolino and new partner Sarah Jane Espelita of Letran, 23-21, to advance to the semifinals via a four-game sweep of the Petron Ladies’ Beach Volleyball Battle of Champions elims at the Baywalk here.

The UE bets’ win quashed all of the Letran pair’s hopes of advancing to the semis.

Carolino, who was with Gena Andaya when they took the runner-up honors to last year’s champion Jennifer Manzano and Satchel Senupe of La Salle-Dasmariñas, finished last in Group A at 1-3 in a tie with Puerto Princesa’s Clianne Dacuan and Ganilen Clarianes.

Cais and Paron went on to complete a four-game sweep of Group A, giving them the first semis berth.

La Salle-Dasmariñas’ Iari Yongco and Giselle Bembo and University of the Philippines-1 Amanda Isada and Joyce Palad wound up with identical 2-2 cards in Group A, but the latter pair clinched the semis seat in the group with a better tiebreak record after they got past La Salle-Dasma pair, 21-18.

In Group B, second-leg winner Pauline Genido and her new partner Liezchel Tiu matched the 4-0 sweep of Cais and Paron to gain the top seeding in their group. The University of the Philippines-2 pair of Genido and Tiu completed their sweep with a 21-14 win over Puerto Princesa’s Princess Fontello and Matet Gueruela.

La Salle-Dasmariñas 2 bets Iumi Yongco and Jessa Fernandez bounced from a 17-21 setback to Genido and Tiu with a 21-15 victory over Puerto Princesa B’s Sheena Estrada and Rina Olinares to likewise advance to the semis.

Cais and Paron take on Yongco and Fernandez, while Genido and Tiu battle Isada and Palad for berths in the finals of the event supported by Speedo, Mikasa and the City of Puerto Princesa, which is celebrating the 65th birthday of Mayor Edward Hagedorn.

Cais, a marketing management sophomore, and Paron, an information technology student, first frustrated Puerto Princesa-A bets Clarianes and Dacuan’s semifinal ambitions with a 22-20 triumph, before getting past Carolino and Espelita.