Buytrago-Varga topple reigning champs in BPT Futures Nuvali

Rancel Varga (left) and James Buytrago (right). | PNVF photo

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The versatile tandem of Cebu’s James Buytrago and Rancel Varga delivered a statement win for the Philippines on Saturday, stunning reigning champions Domonkos Doczi and Bence Attila Streli of Hungary in straight sets, 21-15, 21-19, to barge into the Round of 12 of the Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour (BPT) Futures at Nuvali Sand Courts in Laguna.

Silver medalists in last year’s BPT Futures leg, Buytrago and Varga showcased their growing maturity and chemistry by dismantling the Hungarian pair—winners of the recent Qingdao leg—thanks to their familiarity with the opponents’ style of play.

Their victory headlined a successful day for the young Alas Pilipinas squads, as the women’s pairs of Kat Epa and Honey Grace Cordero, and Khylem Progella and Sofia Pagara also secured spots in the knockout stage.

UAAP champions Epa and Cordero of National University outlasted Israel’s Ronni Rivka Lavie and Anita Dave in a 51-minute duel, 21-15, 14-21, 15-9. Battling the sweltering heat that peaked at 38.1 degrees Celsius, and strong winds in the second set, Cordero admitted she had to push herself mentally.

Meanwhile, UAAP runners-up Progella and Pagara of UST overcame the Netherlands’ Danieke Prins and Annemieke Driessen, 23-25, 21-11, 15-10, in a match defined by mind games and momentum shifts.

The Philippine pair tallied 35 attack points compared to the Dutch’s 27, and dominated the service game with eight aces.

Despite the strong showing of the three pairs, other Filipino tandems bowed out early. SEA Games bronze medalists Jaron Requinton and Jude Garcia fell short against Americans David Wieczorek and John Schwengel, 11-21, 21-16, 10-15.

Also losing were Lerry John Francisco and Edwin Tolentino were swept by Latvia’s Ralfs Andrejevs and Eduards Dūdens, 21-13, 21-17.

In the women’s division, Sunnie Kalani Villapando and Jen Gaviola lost to Japan’s Nozomi Sekiguchi and Yu Okuno, 21-16, 21-18. Alexa Polidario and Dij Rodriguez couldn’t sustain their early momentum and fell to Latvia’s Monika Mamaja and Alise Aleksane, 21-12, 11-21, 10-15.