Sisi Rondina, Bernadeth Pons claim Ibalong beach volleyball crown

MANILA, Philippines — Petron’s Sisi Rondina and Bernadeth Pons, Philippine Superliga’s queens of the sandcourt, showcased their winning form once more and annexed the crown in the recent Ibalong National Women’s Beach Volleyball Open Invitational in Legazpi City.

Rondina and Pons, two time PSL Cup winners, asserted their might and dismantled fellow PSL duo Patty Orendain and Fiola Ceballos of Generika, 21-10, 21-10, in a one-sided finals to add another jewel to their growing collection.

The Petron belles were unstoppable the entire tournament, not dropping a set in the four matches they played.

They made short work of Sta Lucia 2’s Bianca Lizares and Souzan Raslan in pool play, 21-7, 21-8, then ran roughshod over La Salle’s Mitch Morente and Tin Tiamson in the quarterfinals, 21-5, 21-9, before hurdling the challenge of Sta. Lucia 1’s DM Demontano and Jackie Estoquia in the semis, 21-17, 21-17.

Orendain and Ceballos reached the gold medal match after rallying past Beach Volley Republic’s Bea Tan and Dzi Gervacio, 14-21, 21-12, 15-9, in a tough Last-4 duel.

The Tan-Gervacio pair went on to take the bronze via a come-from-behind 19-21, 21-16, 15-13 squeaker over SLR’s Demontano and Estoquia in their third place battle.