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By Joel Orellana, Reporter
BORACAY: There will be a long
celebration when the beach volley tandem of Janez Armie Igot and
Jusabelle Brillo goes back home after ruling the women’s Nestea
Beach Volley 11 here Saturday.
For Mindanao State University
Tawi-Tawi, the atmosphere could be fiesta like especially with the
way the men’s duo of Gabshar Tahilludin and Yusop Abdul-karim
pulled off the improbable win over Far Eastern University.
Igot and Brillo dispatched
Marites Natad and Janelle Tabio of Southwestern Uiversity, 22-20,
21-15 while Tahilluddin and Abdulkarim came back from seven points
down in the third set and posted an unbelievable 23-21, 15-21, 17-15
victory in a frenetic finish in front of a hostile but appreciative
crowd that filled the sandcourt in front of Hey! Jude resort here.
UV and MSU brought home the
P150,000 top prize each after ruling for the first time the annual
summer spikefest sponsored by Speedo, Mikasa, Villa de Oro Boracay
Beach Resort Hotel, Boracay Mandarin Island Hotel, Boracay Gold
Crowne Club Microtel Inns and Suites Boracay, Hey! Jude @ D’ Mall,
D’Mall D’Boracay, La Salle Green Hills, Schering Plough
Coppertone, Crystal Sand and Nautilus by PJ Aranador.
“The president of UV just
called me and he told me that there will be a big celebration when
we get back home,” said UV head coach Raffy Briones who himself
earned P50,000 for leading the duo to the crown.
“I’ve been coaching
volleyball for 20 years and I considered this one as my biggest
achievements in my career,” Briones added.
For the 22-year-old Brillo, who
is majoring criminology, the amount that she will get will realize
her dream of a new scooter. Igot has no plans yet but is mulling to
invest her share in a business.
“Mas may experience yung
kalaban namin kaya tingin ko teamwork ang nagdala sa amin,” said
the 24-year-old Igot who was the other half of the UV tandem that
finished second to SWU in 2004 finals.
SWU, which settled for P75,000,
was actually in control of the opening set as Natad and Tabio, who
defeated Adamson University in the semis, 21-18, 21-18, took a 15-12
lead before Igot and Brillo buckled down to work.
SWU’s offensive attacks failed
to penetrate Igot’s tremendous defense on the net while Brillo’s
left-handed killer spikers proved to be too hard to handle for Natad
and Tabio.
Undeniably one of the most
exciting finals matches in Nestea Beach Volley history, MSU’s
conquest for the regions’ first title here was truly
heart-pounding and a nerve-wrecking one.
As FEU’s Joshua Alcarde and
Jeremy Floyd Pedregosa seemed to be celebrating too early after
posting a 10-3 lead in the deciding set, Tahilluddin and Abdulkarim
put their acts and minds together on time to carve out the thrilling
come-from-behind victory.
“Para sa mga taga-Mindanao ang
panalong ito. Sobrang saya namin dahil ngayon lang namin nakuha ito,”
exclaimed Abdulkarim, who together with Tahilluddin got a victory
ride from a Mindanao contingent that trooped the court once MSU
scored the final point of the match.
FEU, which last won the crown
here in 1998, settled for P75,000. Foundation University bagged the
third place after beating University of Southern Philippines
Foundation, 21-23, 21-15, 17-15 bagged the P40,000 price.
In the women’s division, Holy
Cross of Davao College upset Adamson University, 21-13, 22-20 in the
battle for third and earned P40,000.
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