Nestea beach volley finals unfurl today

BORACAY, Philippines  – The 15th Nestea Beach Volley National Finals fires off today with the country’s leading beach volley players from top collegiate teams disputing top honors and P100,000 purse in the three-day tournament in this paradise island in Aklan.

The north will be represented by University of Luzon in Dagupan while the south will be bannered by University of Mindanao-Tagum, Holy Cross of Davao and Jose Maria College of Davao.

Also tipped to contend for the crowns are the teams from the National Capital Region, led by Arellano University, which leads the field in the men’s side, and University of Santo Tomas, the NCR champ in the women’s division in the recent qualifiers in Tanauan, Batangas.

Also vying in the men’s division are UST and Far Eastern U while La Salle and Adamson join UST in the hunt for the ladies championship sponsored by Nestea and sanctioned by the Philippine Volleyball Federation and complies with the standard of the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB).

But focus will still be on the Visayan teams, which have dominated the competition in past editions.

University of St. La Salle-Bacolod spearheads the region’s bid in the men’s side while Central Philippines University of Ilolilo is fancied in the ladies category along with   University of Visayas, Southwestern U and University of San Jose-Recoletos.

Although it failed to win the regional elims, Southwestern U is eyeing no less than a fifth women’s crown while University of Mindanao Tagum is seeking to snare its first men’s title since going all the way five years ago.

Arellano U’s John Carlo Lozada and Chris Salvador topped the NCR elims with a 21-18, 21-19 win over UST’s Mark Gil Alfafara and Henry James Pecana in the men’s finale while Maruja Banaticla and Judy Ann Caballero of UST pulled off a 21-18, 21-18 triumph over La Salle’s Wensh Tiu and Kim Fajardo for the women’s crown.

The second placers will receive P65,000 while the next two finishers will get P35,000 and P22,500, respectively.

Spicing up the event is the celebrity tournament featuring the likes of Derek Ramsey and Karylle.