The battle of the south will be played up north as several of the best beach volleyball players from the Visayas lock horns for the championships in the PLDT Home Ultera Philippine Superliga Beach Volleyball Challenge Cup 2015 on Saturday at the Sands By the Bay in SM Mall of Asia.
The pride of Iloilo, Fiola Ceballos of Foton Tornadoes, will renew her rivalry with Cebu’s best in Danika Gendrauli of Gilligan’s in the gold-medal match of the women’s division. In the men’s division, the Jade-Becaldo led SM By the Bay A takes on the Louijie Tipgos-powered Champion Infinity B in the finals.
Becaldo is a former two-time beach volleyball national champion during his time with the University of the Visayas while Tipgos, who has represented the country in international competitions, used to suit up for the University of San Jose-Recoletos.
A 20-year old Tourism senior from Central Philippine University, Ceballos is regarded as one of the best young players on the sand. In fact, just few weeks ago, she stole the thunder from a powerhouse field as she emerged as the country’s First Queen of the Sands. Then, she partnered with another Ilongga in Patty Jane Orendain of Bacolod to tow the Torndaoes to a pair of victories in the classification before demolishing their sister team – Foton Hurricane – in the semifinals.
But the gold medal won’t be handed to her on a shiny silver platter with Gendrauli, a 24-year old ace from Southwestern University, vowing to go all out, not only to win the crown, but also to avenge a pair of setbacks from the hands of Ceballos and her erstwhile partner, national team skipper Jovelyn Gonzaga, in the Nestea Beach Volley on the island of Boracay in 2012 and 2013.
“Sa regional tinalo namin sila, pero sa championship, talo kami sa kanila,” said Gendrauli, who went through the wringer before escaping with a tough three-set win over Cignal HD Spikers B in the semis. “Added motivation yun on my part. That’s why we’re training hard para mas maging maganda performance namin sa Sabado.”
Ceballos took note that Gendrauli has improved tremendously and her partnership with the defense-savvy Diaz makes her one of the most lethal players in this four-week tournament.
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