THE UST Tiger Sands bagged the gold and silver medals in the 1st Mayor Albee Benitez Beach Volleyball Tournament open category at the Bacolod Baywalk Recreational Park in Negros Occidental on Sunday, Oct. 8.
UST’s duo of Gen Eslapor and Sofia Pagara outmuscled NU’s Honey Cordero and Klymince Orillaneda in the finals to rule the women’s division, 21-18, 21-15.
The Lady Spikers went undefeated throughout the tournament, tallying a perfect 6-0 win-loss slate, while their male counterparts had a 5-1 record, with their only loss coming in the finals.
Season 84 men’s beach volleyball MVP Rancel Varga and Tiger Sands rookie Alchie Gupiteo fell to Verayo’s Grill composed of Alnakran Abdilla, who is a two-time Southeast Asian Games bronze medalist, and Alexander Cabatuan, 17-21, 18-21.
UST head coach Paul Doloiras said that the tournament served as a helpful training ground that allowed him to gauge the team’s current level of play before heading to the UAAP Season 86 beach volleyball tournaments.
“Nakita namin dito kung ano ‘yung kulang pa namin bago mag-UAAP at kung nasaan na kami sa training,” Doloiras told the Varsitarian. “Malaking bagay ito kasi nade-develop paunti-unti ‘yung chemistry ng mga bata bago pumasok sa UAAP.”
The Tiger Sands advanced to the finals after conquering the UP Fighting Maroons in the women’s division, 21-12, 21-13, and G.A.R. Siquijor in the men’s division, 21-19, 21-9.
NU and UP completed the podium after settling for bronze-medal finishes in the men’s and women’s divisions.
The first, second, third, and fourth-placers received cash prizes of P60,000, P30,000, P15,000 and P9,000 in the open category.
The tournament was part of Bacolod City’s celebration of the 2023 MassKara Festival. It featured 15 teams across the country.
