MANILA, Philippines - University of the East-1’s Francislyn Cais and Jessica Paron held off last year’s winner and former La Salle-Dasmariñas Lady Patriot Satchel Senupe and Anna Adolfo, 21-10, to reach the semis in the third leg of the 2012 Petron Ladies’ beach volleyball tournament at the UE-Caloocan sand courts yesterday.
Cais and Paron thus topped Group B with a 4-1 record to secure the first semis seat with La Salle-Dasmariñas’ MoniqueTiangco and Maribeth Lara claiming the second berth in their bracket.
Unheralded San Sebastian College spikers Gretchel Soltones and Czarina Berbano came up with a strong showing in Group A, sweeping all their five games and bagging the first semis slot in their division of the event backed by Mikasa and Speedo.
Adamson duo Paulina Soriano and Sheila Mae Pineda, who finished with three wins and two losses, took the second semis berth after edging AMA Computer College standouts Lorie Lyn Longalong and Sheila Mae Fajardo with a superior tiebreak score.
The Lady Falcons barely made it into the semis after dropping a 19-21 setback to SSC’s Soltones and Berbano in the last elims game.
The 19-year-old Cais took charge early on as she and Paron attacked the net and pulled away at 6-0 en route to victory.