Olympians and continental champions from China proved a little bit too much for Alas Pilipinas Women, marching on to the quarterfinals of the Asian Senior Beach Volleyball Championships on Friday, Nov. 8, at the Nuvali Sand Courts in the City of Santa Rosa.
Xia Xinyi and Xue Chen, Paris Olympians and winners of the Asian Seniors last year in Pingtan, moved on to the round of eight separately as they seek the title with new partners.
Xia and Wang Jingzhe turned back the spirited challenge from Gen Eslapor and Kly Orillaneda, 21-13, 21-8, to advance.
Xue, an Olympic bronze medalist and former world champion, also stayed on track in her bid for another title as she and Zeng Jinjin defeated Alas Pilipinas’ teen tandem of Khylem Progella and Sofiah Pagara, 21-14, 21-11.
The Air Force pair of Eslapor and Orillaneda got off to a flyer and led 5-3, but the energy and enthusiasm simply was not enough against the pair of grizzled Chinese spikers.
“We wanted a good start and we did, but we just lost steam because it’s not easy trying to match the game of these veterans,” Orillaneda said.
Eslapor is confident they will emerge better players with the experience gained from the tournament backed by Nuvali, Ayala Land, Rebisco, Smart, Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Olympic Committee, City of Santa Rosa, Mikasa, Senoh, Asics, Akari, Sip, Cignal, One Sports, One Sports Plus, Pilipinas Live, Asian Volleyball Confederation and the Philippine National Volleyball Federation.
“We played with nothing to lose, everything to gain. The important thing was we did out best because we were given an opportunity to face players of their level,” Eslapor said.
The 18-year-old Progella and the 19-year-old Pagara showed flashes of brilliance but Chinese six-footers kept control throughout the 31-minute match.
“We tried to keep it close but it was really tough to overcome their advantage in height and experience,” Progella said.
Jasmine Fleming and Elizabeth Alchin prevailed in an all-Australian showdown with Alisha Stevens and Cameron Zajer, 14-21, 21-14, 15-12, while another Chinese pair advanced to the round of eight as Yan Xu and Zhou Mingli beat Thailand’s Tanarattha Udomchavee and Rumpaipruet Numwong, 21-15, 21-18, in the tournament held under the auspices of the Philippine National Volleyball Federation and and the Asian Volleyball Confederation, both headed by Ramon “Tats” Suzara.
AVC Beach Tour Nuvali Open champions Jana Milutinovic and Stefanie Fejes of Australia also entered the quarterfinals, beating Thailand’s Salinda Mungkhon and Somruedee Koedkaew, 21-10, 21-12, while New Zealand’s Shauna Polley and Olivia MacDonald held off Japan’s Ren Matsumoto and Non Matsumoto, 22-20, 21-18.
