UST’s beach volleybelles again ruled the sand court after notching another gold medal in the Ibalong Beach Volleyball Cup last Aug. 21 to 23 in Legazpi City, Albay.
UAAP Season 77 beach volleyball champions Cherry Anne Rondina and Rica Jane Rivera clinched their fourth-straight title as sand court partners for UST after demolishing FEU’s Bernadette Pons and Kyla Llana Atienza in the finals, 21-19, 21-14.
Despite sweeping the tournament with a 6-0 win-loss record, Rondina recognized FEU’s solid defense and admitted that grabbing the title was not a walk in the park.
“Magandang exposure kasi nakalaban namin ‘yung mga kasali sa UAAP (FEU and Adamson University). Good thing [‘yun] pero nakita na rin nila kami kung paano maglaro,” Rondina told the Varsitarian.
UST has dominated the tournament in the last three years with two titles coming from the Rondina and Rivera duo.
For Rivera, the tourney also prepared the Lady Spikers for their quest to defend the UAAP crown they captured last year against volleyball powerhouse De La Salle University.
Prior to the Ibalong Cup, the UST tandem bagged their third championship for UST after dethroning DLSU’s Kim Fajardo and new partner Cyd Demecillo in the 18th Nestea Beach Intercollegiate Volleyball Competition last May 2.
But Rivera said they still need to work double time to defend the UAAP crown and to continue their championship streak they started after winning the Ibalong title last year.
“Sana tuloy-tuloy lang ‘yung performance na binibigay namin. Sana ‘yung performance mas ma-improve pa namin, may mga skills din kami na kailangang mag-improve like service and setting,” Rivera said.
