Beach volley squads resume SEAG campaign

SUBIC, Philippines — The Philippine men’s beach volleyball squads try to maintain their unblemished slate while the women’s teams hope for a much-needed rebound in the second playdate of the 30th Southeast Asian Games beach volleyball tilt here at the Subic Tennis Court.

Fresh from a rousing opener victory highlighted by a pair of sweeps against Timor Leste, the Filipino spikers shoot for a quick follow-up against the Malaysians to stay in pole position of Pool A.

The duo of James Buytrago and Jaron Requinton, which drubbed Robson Xavier and Christian Jean of Timor Leste (21-16, 21-13) the other day, plunge back into action at 5:30 p.m. opposite the Malaysian pair of Jackson Kiet Sing Ting and Raja Nazmi Saifuddin Raja Hussin.

Jude Garcia and Edmar Bonono, who represent the second Phl squad, also seek another triumph against Malaysia’s Rafi Asruki Nordin and Mohd Aizzat Mohd Zokri at 6:20 p.m.

The Garcia-Bonono combo trounced the Timorese tandem of Rafi Asruki Nordin and Mohd Aizzat Mohd Zokri, 21-7, 21-16, for a searing kickoff last Friday.

Meanwhile, Filipina spikers led by Sisi Rondina and Bernadeth Pons together with Dzi Gervacio and Dji Rodriguez are out to score breakthrough wins after suffering tough losses against powerhouse Indonesia.

Rondina and Pons collide with the Vietnamese pair of Tram Thi Thani Nguyen and Huyen Duong Truoing at 2 p.m., a day after falling short against the formidable Indonesian squad of Dhita Juliana and Putu Dini Jasita Utami (18-21, 21-16, 13-15).

Following them right after are Gervacio and Rodriguez who want to bounce back against Vietnam’s Nguyen Ngoc Lan Vu and Tuong Vy Le Thi Nguyen at 2:50 p.m. after being blanked by Indonesia’s Allysah Mutakharah and Desi Ratnasari in the opener.

 “The most important thing here in the SEA Games is not giving up so we will remain resilient and we will bounce back,” said Rondina after the Nationals wasted a 13-12 third-set lead against the Indons en route to a heartbreaking loss.