CPU, UV cop Nestea beach volleyball titles

BORACAY, Philippines  – Central Philippine University of Iloilo and University of Visayas of Cebu fashioned out emphatic victories to rule their respective divisions in the just concluded 15th Nestea Beach Volley national finals yesterday.

As the skies darkened and the winds died down, CPU’s Jovelyn Gonzaga and Fiola Mae Ceballos tamed an error-proned University of Mindanao-Tagum duo in Lourdilyn Catubag and Karen Kay Quilario, 21-13, 21-17, to rule the women’s side.

The long-limbed, pretty Gonzaga annexed her second title as she was half of the same Lady Golden Eagles side that topped the meet’s last edition two years ago while the untested and youthful Ceballos took home her first victory since the two started their partnership last year.

University of Visayas’ Jade Becaldo and Mike Abria, for their part, turned back the feisty University of San Jose Recoletos pair of Jade Illut and Jason Uy, 21-16, 21-19, to reign supreme in the men’s side.

For their efforts, both CPU and UV took the top purse worth P100,000 each plus the bragging rights as the best collegiate beach volley teams in the land for at least the rest of the year.

It was sweet victory for the Lancers, who came back from a three-set loss to the Arellano U Chiefs in Thursday’s opener and had to go through the backdoor by picking up clutch wins one after another to rule the event.

“We didn’t give up after that loss to Arellano, we kept believing that we could still win this tournament,” said the six-foot Abria, a fifth year civil engineering student who was called “The Wall” here for his penchant for blocking spikes by his foes.

While UV had to virtually go through the proverbial eye of the needle, CPU, a Christian school six and a half hours bus ride away from this paradise island, was dominant and won the meet without dropping a single set.

And it’s all about heart and determination.

“We just trust each other and kept believing that we can win this,” said Gonzaga, a fourth year education student.

While Fiola, a 17-year-old first year tourism student, delivered the numbing kills and deceiving blocks, the 20-year-old Gonzaga kept the team together by hustling to pick up all the loose ends created by UMT’s relentless attack.

In the battle for third, the UST Tigresses downed the Adamson Lady Falcons, 17-21, 21-14, 15-7, while the UMT spikers edged the Chiefs, 21-14, 17-21, 15-12.