By JEREMIAH SEVILLA
Abanse Negrense and Sta. Lucia set up a grudge rematch in the semifinals of the historic 2021 Gatorade-Philippine Superliga (PSL) Beach Volleyball Challenge Cup after eliminating their respective foes on Saturday at the SBMA Sands Court in Subic, Zambales.
The semifinal matches are scheduled on Sunday morning with the winners slated to face at 5 p.m. in the final of the first volleyball and non-professional sports tournament held under a bubble concept amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Alexa Polidario and Erjane Magdato of Abanse Negrense A were the first to enter the final four as they walloped the winless Toby’s Sports pair of Jonah San Pedro and Javen Sabas, 21-12, 21-11.
“Para sa akin opo (inexpect namin umabot dito) kasi everyday talaga kaming nagtet-rain ng team ko at talagang pinaghandaan namin itong PSL (I expected reaching the semis because we trained everyday and prepared hard for this PSL event),” said Polidario.
“Talagang kukunin namin ‘yung championship kung kaya. Ibibigay lang namin lahat (We’ll get the championship if we can. We’re just going to give our best),” she added.
Veterans Bang Pineda and Jonah Sabete of Sta. Lucia B then battered Ella Viray and Theresa Ramas of United Auctioneers, Inc., 21-13, 21-15, to arrange a duel against the unbeaten Polidario-Magdato tandem.
Abanse Negrense B’s Gelimae Villanueva and Jennifer Cosas clobbered the lackluster Kennedy Solar Energy-Petro Gazz duo of Ariane Alarcon and Christina Canares, 21-6, 21-3, to likewise barge into the semis.
In the last quarterfinal game, DM Demontano and Jackie Estoquia of Sta. Lucia A survived Kyla Gallego and Jennymar Senares of F2 Logistics, 16-21, 21-10, 15-10, for a shot at vengeance versus Villanueva and Cosas.
The Abanse Negrense squads are out to repeat their victories over the Lady Realtors back in the pool play to assure the title for themselves.
Polidario and Magdato mauled Pineda and Sabete, 21-14, 21-12, in the curtain-raiser in Pool A while Villanueva and Cosas stunned tournament favorites Demontano and Estoquia, 6-21, 21-14, 15-11, in Pool B on Friday.
