Villapando-Rodriguez, Eslapor-Orillaneda reach quarterfinals; Rondina-Pons exit in round of 12 at Beach Pro Tour Futures Busan

Mark Aaron Balbin

The pairs of Sunny Villapando and Dij Rodriguez, along with Genesa Jane Eslapor and Kly Orillaneda, reached the quarterfinals, while Sisi Rondina and Bernadeth Pons fell short in the round of 12 at the Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour Futures in Busan, South Korea on August 13-17

All three pairs were spread out throughout the entire tournament, with Eslapor and Orillaneda drawn into Pool C, Villapando and Rodriguez in Pool D, and the Rondina-Pons duo in Pool A.

To begin with, Eslapor and Orillaneda opened Pool C with dominance, sweeping South Korea by a huge amount in two sets, 21-8, 21-7.

Despite the duo failing to capitalize on their momentum as they bowed over Czech Republic at 9-21, 10-21, their emphatic win against South Korea secured them a spot to the knockout stage of the tournament.

Seeking redemption, the Eslapor-Orillaneda swept Singapore in the round of 12, 21-14, 21-19, before bowing out in the quarterfinals against Japan, 12-21, 12-21, behind a barrage of spikes and defense.

Meanwhile, Villapando and Rodriguez took a longer route. The pair overpowered an American team, 21-11, 21-12, and a German duo, 21-14, 21-14, to qualify for the main draw of the tourney.

Continuing their success, the Filipina duo went undefeated in Pool D, standing victorious over Vanuatu, 21-16, 21-12, and another German pair in a reverse sweep, 10-21, 21-19, 15-8, to successfully barge straight to the quarterfinals.

However, their campaign ended in the final eight after facing a dominant loss over Norway, 17-21, 14-21.

Rondina and Pons, for their part, took a flawless route to qualify for the main draw, beating their first Japanese opponents for the tournament for a Pool A spot, 21-18, 21-13.

Setting the tone of their path, the pair produced one of the most dramatic matches of the tournament in Pool A, escaping another Japanese pair in a marathon 22-24, 33-31, 17-15 showdown.

But in their third meeting with Japanese opposition, the Filipinas were edged, 19-21, 19-21.

Still, Rondina and Pons squeezed into the round of 12, where they faced Villapando and Rodriguez’s previous victims from Vanuatu. After another thriller, they were eliminated, 21-23, 21-15, 12-15.

In the end, Norway and Japan, the same teams that ousted the Filipinas, clashed in the finals, with Japan completing a reverse sweep, 17-21, 21-9, 15-11, to claim the gold medal.