The Philippines’ Bea Tan throws down an attack in their Saturday morning game against the Malaysians. /Photo from Beach Volleyball Republic
CEBU CITY, Philippines – Former Southwestern University-Phinma volleybelle Dij Rodriguez and Bea Tan made short work of Malaysia’s Tan Hsi Yan and Tasha Mae as they won, 21-7, 21-15, to give the Philippines two teams in the Round of 12 in the FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour Boracay Open on Saturday, May 25, 2019, at the White House Beach Station 1.
Leaving behind a heartbreaking 21-17, 13-21, 14-16 loss to Singapore’s Eliza Chong and Lau Ee Shan during opening day on Friday, Tan and Rodriguez were in the zone on both ends of the sand court to send the Malaysians packing, while keeping the three-time Beach Volleyball Republic On Tour champions in the competition.
However, not everything came up roses for the Philippines as the fancied Cebuana pair of Sisi Rondina, and Bernadeth Pons failed to gain an outright passage to the quarterfinals after losing to Japan’s Satono Ishitsubo and Asami Shiba, 16-21, 19-21.
Fueled by the early morning cheering crowd that packed the venue, Rondina and Pons went toe to toe with world No. 86 Ishitsubo and Shiba in both sets, but the Japanese were simply too classy to remain undefeated in two matches.
Rondina and Pons opened their campaign with a 21-14, 21-8 conference of Japan’s Shinako Tanaka and Miyuki Matsumura Friday. That leaves the pairs of Rondina and Pons, and Tan and Rodriguez fighting for quarterfinals slots on Saturday afternoon./dcb