Photo by UAAP
UNIVERSITY of Santo Tomas' Sofiah Pagara and Khy Progella saw their bid for a seven-peat and 10th women's crown overall off to a smashing start in the UAAP beach volleyball tournament Friday at the Sands SM By The Bay.
Progella's collegiate debut was triumphant as the two-time UAAP high school girls beach volleyball champion joined forces with Pagara in beating Far Eastern University's Lovely Lopez and Melody Pons, 21-16, 21-14, and Ateneo's Liz Lomocso and Grydelle Matibag, 21-17, 21-13.
Pagara, last season's top rookie, and Progella have rich experience, as the Alas Pilipinas pair was fresh from a stint in the recently-concluded Asian Senior Beach Volleyball Championship in Santa Rosa, Laguna. The duo also ruled the Beach Volleyball Republic On Tour Sipalay leg last June.
National University's Honey Grace Cordero and Kat Epa, regulars of the BVR on Tour, also logged two wins to start the season on a high note.
Cordero and Epa, who finally made her college debut made quick work of University of the Philippines' Euri Eslapor and Julia De Leon, 21-16, 21-14, before returning in the afternoon session with a 21-17, 21-18 conquest of Adamson rookies Shai Nitura and Fei Sagaysay.
Progella took over the spot from last year's MVP Gen Eslapor, who has already graduated.
The Tiger Sands-Blue Eagles match saw the first meeting between former high school teammates Progella and Matibag, who teamed up in UST's first-ever girls beach volleyball championship last year.
In other games, University of the East's Van Bangayan and Krisha Revilla outlasted Ateneo's Lomocso and Matibag, 21-18, 15-21, 15-11, while Adamson's Nitura and Sagaysay defeated La Salle's Sophia Sindayen and Ela Raagas, 21-6, 21-18.
Meanwhile, reigning men's titlists UST also had an impressive start as Dominique Gabito and last year's MVP Alche Gupiteo defeated FEU's Amet Bituin and Reynan Postorioso, 21-14, 21-9, and La Salle's Andre Espejo and Von Marata, 21-5, 21-10.
The Tiger Sands shoot for a sixth consecutive men's championship and ninth overall.
NU's Alex Iraya and Sky Gemarino topped Ateneo's JM Yu and Amil Pacinio, 21-14, 21-14, and University of the Philippines' Angelo Lipata and Christian Pitogo, 21-10, 21-15, to also rise to 2-0.
Adamson's Marc Paulino and Willie Hiltones nipped La Salle's Espejo and Marata, 22-20, 27-25, while UP won its opening match as Lipata and Pitogo brushed off UE's Allen Buensalida and Julian Celestial, 21-8, 20-22, 15-9.
Action resumes Saturday at 7 a.m.
