Photo by UAAP
UNIVERSITY of Santo Tomas aims for a third straight golden double despite the depature of its vital cogs from last year's women's and men's championship runs as the UAAP beach volleyball tournament opens Friday at the Sands SM By The Bay.
Last year's women's MVP Gen Eslapor and men's standout Rancel Varga have already graduated but the Tiger Sands remain as top title favorites in both divisions.
Sofiah Pagara will have rookie Khy Progella as her new partner, and their familiarity with each other won't be a problem as the Alas Pilipinas mainstays teamed up in international competitions, the most recent was in the Asian Senior Beach Volleyball Championship in Santa Rosa, Laguna.
Pagara and Progella also topped the Beach Volleyball Republic On Tour Sipalay leg last June.
As a rookie, Pagara teamed up with Eslapor in the Tiger Sands' six-peat and ninth women's crown overall last year.
Progella will make her collegiate debut after helping UST rule the league's first two UAAP high school girls beach volleyball editions.
Reigning MVP Alche Gupiteo will now join forces with Dominique Gabito as UST eyes a sixth consecutive men's championship and ninth overall.
Varga, who is also part of Alas men's beach volleyball team, was Gupiteo's partner when the Tiger Sands successfully defended the throne last year.
UST women's team will first play last season's third placers Far Eastern University in the morning session at 7 a.m. and will return to afternoon to go up against Ateneo at 3:30 p.m.
In the men's side, UST will make its debut against FEU, which also reached the podium last year, at 10 a.m. before taking on La Salle in the afternoon session at 5 p.m.
National University, which has been runner-ups in the women's division in last two years and men's side second placers in the last three editions, is making another attempt for redemption is
The Beach Bulldogs, bannered by Honey Grace Cordero, open their bid in the women's division against University of the Philippines at 7:45 a.m. and Adamson at 4:15 p.m. The Alex Iraya-led men's squad will go up against Ateneo at 10:45 a.m. and UP at 5:45 p.m.
NU will miss Kly Orillaneda and James Buytrago, who have already completed their playing years.
In other women's opening day matches, Ateneo tangles with UE at 8:30 a.m, while Adamson clashes with La Salle at 9:15 a.m.
Other men's season opening fixtures pits La Salle and Adamson at 2 p.m. and UE and UP at 2:45 p.m.
