By ADRAN STEWART CO

The University of Santo Tomas (UST) Tiger Sands dominated the men’s and women’s divisions of the 2nd Mayor Albee Benitez Beach Volleyball Tournament at the University of St. La Salle-Sandbox in Bacolod City on Thursday afternoon, October 24.

UST Tiger Sands 1’s Alche Gupiteo and Dominique Gabito captured the men’s division championship as they prevailed over National University (NU) 1’s Alexander Iraya and Rain Skyler Gemarino.

To reach the finals, Gupiteo and Gabito ousted UST 2’s Aldwin Gupiteo and Kyle Tandoc in the semis, while Iraya and Gemarino defeated NU2’s Leo Aringo and Sanjo Kian.

Meanwhile, Aldwin and Tandoc also joined the podium finishers as they prevailed over Aringo and Kian in the bronze medal match.

Meanwhile, UST Tiger Sands 1 of Sofiah Shanine Pagara and Khylen Harl Progella retained the women’s division title after defeating NU1 of Kathrina Epa and Honey Grace Cordero in the finals.

This was Pagara’s second consecutive Mayor Albee Benitez Beach Volleyball Tournament after also ruling last year’s tournament, with Genesa Eslapor as her sand court partner.

On their way to the championship round, UST Tiger Sands 1 defeated Far Eastern University’s Melody Pons and Lovely Lopez, while NU1 ousted NU2’s Kizil Quijote and Liezl Dejan.

Meanwhile, Pons and Lopez salvaged a bronze medal finish after defeating Quijote and Dejan in the battle for third-place game.

The tournament, which is in line with Bacolod City’s MassKara Festival, was organized by the Volleyball Association of Negros Island, Inc. and sanctioned by the Philippine National Volleyball Federation./ASC, WDJ