By ADRIAN STEWART CO

Negrense Honey Grace Cordero and Kizil Doren Quijote of the National University (NU) Lady Bulldogs settled for a runner-up finish in the Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) Beach Volleyball Invitational at Nuvali Sand Courts in Santa Rosa City, Laguna.

Cordero and Quijote fell short of another gold medal finish as they bowed to University of Santo Tomas Tiger Sands’ Sofiah Pagara and Khy Progella, 21-19, 21-19, in the finals.

The Tiger Sands pair showed resiliency in both sets to prevail over newly-minted UAAP Season 87 MVP Cordero and Quijote, who were the Lady Bulldogs’ third player during their recent UAAP title run at the expense of Pagara and Progella last month.

Meanwhile, Team Negrense’s Bea Tan and Alexa Polidario captured the bronze medal with a 21-17, 21-8 romp over the Tiger Sands’ second team of Grithney Dadang and Angelica del Mar in the battle-for-third place game.

Philippine Air Force’s Ranran Abdilla and James Buytrago topped the men’s division, besting NU’s Sky Gemarino and Wayne Dionela, 21-19, 21-13, in the finals.

Abdilla and Buytrago, who are also members of the Alas Pilipinas squad, emerged triumphant over Emilio Aguinaldo College’s Paul Justine Say and John Ruther Abor, 21-11, 21-10, in the semifinals.

Say and Abor completed the podium finishers in the men’s division./ASC, WDJ