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MANILA – Australians Jasmine Fleming and Elizabeth Alchin outclassed Alas Pilipinas pair Alexa Polidario and Jen Gaviola, 21-11, 21-13, Thursday in the qualifying round of the Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour Challenge Nuvali in Santa Rosa City, Laguna.
The 5-foot-9 Gaviola and 5-foot-7 Polidario gave their best but it was not good enough against the Australians, who are both six-footers.
The Aussie tandem, currently world No. 123, placed fifth in the Asian Seniors and seventh in the BPT Challenge Chennai.
“Although we have played several international tournaments, sometimes it’s evident that we still lack the experience but we need to overcome those things,” the 26-year-old Gaviola said.
“I believe we did fine because we followed the coaches’ instructions. There were lapses and we need to address those.”
The tournament, organized by the Philippine National Volleyball Federation headed by Ramon “Tats” Suzara, has attracted top FIVB teams that reigning Asian Senior Beach Volleyball champions D’Artagnan Potts and Jack Pearse had to go through qualifying.
Potts and Pearse, ranked No. 64 in the world, defeated Filipinos Ronniel Rosales and Edwin Tolentino, 21-8, 21-10.
Meanwhile, Alas Pilipinas players Gen Eslapor and Kly Orillaneda will kick off their campaign in the main draw.
The pair, ranked 125th in the world, finished fifth in the AVC Beach Tour Taoyuan Open and ninth in the Asian Seniors and the BPT Futures Qingdao.
“This is a huge challenge, much more than our previous tournaments. The top-rated Europeans and Americans are here so we have to be at our best,” Orillaneda said.
Spearheading the women’s division are Paris Olympians — world No. 22 Alexia Richard and Lézana Placette world No. 31 Clémence Vieira and Aline Chamereau of France.
World No. 36 Maryna Hladun and Tetiana Lazarenko of Ukraine, winner of the BPT Challenge Chennai last week, are also competing along with Jana Milutinovic and Stefanie Fejes of Australia, champion in the BPT Futures Coolangatta in March and the AVC Beach Tour Nuvali Open in April and bronze medalists in the Asian Seniors three weeks ago.
In the men’s division, Filipinos James Buytrago and Rancel Varga, silver medalists in the BPT Futures Nuvali in April, are playing together in the BPT Challenge event, which is a feeder to the BPT Elite 16.
Ran Abdilla, who teamed up with Buytrago in the Asian Seniors, is paired with Lerry John Francisco in the field bannered by twins Joaquin and Javier Bello from England, the world’s No. 17 coming off a victory in the Beach Pro Tour Elite 16 Rio de Janeiro. — Jean Malanum (PNA)
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Credit belongs to: www.pna.gov.ph
