By ADRIAN STEWART CO

Negrense Bernadeth Pons and Sheena Cafe of the Far Eastern University (FEU) Lady Tamaraws ruled the women’s division of the 2024 Beach Volleyball Republic (BVR) Summer Kickoff tournament recently held at the Seafront Residences in Batangas.

Pons and Cafe captured the women’s beach volleyball division crown after a 21-14, 21-10 straight-set victory over Katipunan’s Gena Hora and Euri Eslapor in the one-game championship.

On the other hand, National University (NU) Bulldogs’ Johnwayne Dionela and Rain Skyler Gemarino took home the men’s beach volleyball title following a 21-17, 21-12 victory over College of St. Benilde Blazers’ Kevin Ondevilla and Rocky Motol in the finals.

Completing the podium finishers were women’s bronze medalists Frenchie Premaylon and Love Lopez, and men’s third placers Kyle Retiza and Reynan Postorioso, both from FEU.

University of Santo Tomas’ (UST) Grydelle Progella and Chenggay Dadang, NU’s Vilmarie Toos and Laiza Angelie Benigay, and Lyceum of the Philippines University-Manila’s Monna Sherina Bañares and Jelainne Aisley Camia competed on the women’s side.

On the men’s side, Ateneo de Manila University’s Lutrelle Taneo and Tim Batac, UST’s Lance Malinao and Michael Lagaran, and FEU’s Kyle Tandoc and Amet Bituin have also participated.

In an exhibition match, Negrenses Fille Cayetano and Bea Tan of Aboitiz Land prevailed over the tandem of Seafront Residences’ Dzi Gervacio and Iris Tolenada in two sets, 21-16, 21-17.

The just-concluded one-day league will serve as a prelude to the much-awaited BVR On Tour season from May to July, with Puerto Galera, Sipalay and Davao hosting this year’s legs.

The BVR, with the support of Aboitiz Land, has continued to provide a platform to grow beach volleyball with the rise of new talents who will be building blocks of the sport’s future.

Through the BVR On Tour, the organization’s program of creating new talent offers a platform for consistent tournaments which calls for consistent training among teams./ASC, WDJ