BY CHRISTINE MONCADA
COLLEGE of St. Benilde and University of Perpetual Help posted
big victories yesterday to advance into the men’s semifinals
of the 2008 Nestea Beach Volley National Circuits Luzon
eliminations at the Island cove Hotel and Leisure Park in
Cavite.
The CSB duo of Angelo Espiritu and Eddie
Macdon played excellent net defense in the third set to
outlast Edjet Mabbayad and Jerry Mabutol of Far Eastern
University 21-17, 15-21, 15-13.
"The boys’ blocking was really the key,"
said CSB coach Parley Tupaz. "They concentrated on stopping
FEU’s attack and their good reception helped to set up good
plays."
Espiritu, a 22-year-old graduating culinary
arts students, claimed he and Macdon went into the match
confident they will prevail over the UAAP defending champion
Tamaraws.
"Determination and discipline spelled the
difference. The preparation we had also gave us the confidence
that we can win this game," Espiritu said.
CSB, which had earlier defeated University
of Santo Tomas 13-21, 21-8, 15-9 and Adamson University 13-21,
21-17, 15-8, remained unscathed after three outings, the same
record of the unheralded UPHD duo of Aristian Sartin and
Marcelo Joaquin Jr.
Sartin and Joaquin notched their third
straight win via a 21-18, 23-21 whipping of Philippine
Christian University’s Jhester Tuante and Gabriel Usman.
UPHD had earlier humbled De La Salle-Dasmarinas
13-21, 23-21, 15-7 and Saint Francis of Assissi College 21-14,
21-23, 16-14 in the event sponsored by Havaianas, Speedo,
Mikasa, Penshoppe, Tagum Beach Volley Drome Rotary Park,
University of St. La Salle Bacolod , Island Cove Hotel and
Leisure Park , Crystal Sand Beach Resort, Le Soleil de Boracay
Hotel, La Carmela de Boracay Resort Hotel, D’Mall, D’Boracay
and Hey! Jude Hotel Resort.
FEU and PCU were relegated to the loser’s
bracket along with St. Francis and Adamson.
SFAC survived PATTS College of Aeronautics
15-21, 21-14, 15-5 while Adamson eliminated San Beda College
21-13, 25-23 to stay in hunt for the remaining semis berths.
In the distaff side, FEU’s Wendy Ann Semana and Shaira
Gonzalez subdued University of the Philippines’ Maiah Manukay
and Danielle Castaneda 21-16, 17-21, 15-9 while Lyceum of the
Philippines’ Dahlia Cruz and Syvie Gay Artales demolished
University of Baguio’s Odessa Jane Solomon and Augie Perl
Ancheta 21-17, 21-9.
