San Sebastian’s Grethcel Soltones and Alyssa Eroa seek a four-peat in the women’s division of the 92nd NCAA beach volleyball tournament unfolding today at the Lighthouse Marina sands in Subic Bay.
Soltones and Eroa, who beat San Beda’s Viray twins Maria Jeziela and Maria Nieza, 14-21, 21-9, 15-6, in last year’s finals, will play Mapua’s Shaira Mhae Hermano, Kimberly Joy Luzon and Danielle Marie Ramiro in the morning matches to start of their campaign.
The pair will then face off with Arellano U’s Jovielyn Prado, Regine Arocha and Jenicalynne Tan, who are fresh from helping the Lady Chiefs beat the Lady Stags to win the indoor volleyball title recently, in the afternoon.
San Sebastian, which has Daurene Claire Santos as reserve, will then tackle Jose Rizal’s Shola Alvarez, Rosalie Pepito and Mercy Grace Rivera in their final assignment of the day.
“The girls have something to prove after our recent loss,” said San Sebastian coach Roger Gorayeb.
The Lady Stags are eyeing their seventh crown, the most by any women’s team in the sport that was introduced as a regular sport in the league 15 years back.
Reigning men’s titlist Mapua, which will be composed of Rey Arth Andaya, Sam Damian and Alfredo Pagulong, battle JRU’s Ronaldo Dampitan, Jr., Jethro Ferwelo and John Michael Flor, Letran’s Christopher Cistina, Bobby Gatdula an d Zecharia Sison and San Sebastian’s Christian Calonia, Jahir Ebrahim and James Christian Eugenio in Day One.
San Sebastian, for its part, will try to defend its crown in the juniors side as it tackles Jose Rizal and Arellano U.