AVC Beach Volleyball: PH bows out of contention, lose to Aussies

Sisi Rondina and Bernadeth Pons of the Philippines yielded to Australia 2’s Alisha Stevens and Georgia Johnson, 16-21, 18-21, in the round of 16 to bow out of contention in the Asian Volleyball Confederation Beach Tour Roi-Et Open Sunday, Sept. 11, in Thailand.

The 15th-seeded Rondina and Pons advanced from the pool play after finishing second in Pool B with an even 1-1 won-lost record.

Ranged against Tokyo Olympian Ishii Miki and Mizoe Sayaka, Rondina and Pons gave Japan 1 everything to handle before dropping a 21-17, 17-21, 10-15 decision in the morning match. The Japanese are seeded No. 2 in the 22-team field.

In Saturday’s opener, Rondina and Pons beat Singapore 2’s Alicia Tan and Sharon Beh, 21-9, 21-7.

The other Philippine pair of Dij Rodriguez and Gen Eslapor failed to reach the round of 16 after dropping their two Pool B matches.

Rodriguez and Eslapor lost to Thailand 1’s Worapeerachayakorn Kongphopsarutawadee and Tarawadee Naraphonlaphat, 14-21, 15-21, and bowed to Vietnam’s Nguyen Le Thi Tuong By and Vu Ngoc Lan Nguyen, 17-21, 11-21.

Up next for the teams sent to the tournament by the Philippine National Volleyball Federation is the AVC Senior Women’s Beach Volleyball Championship from September 14 to 17 also in Roi-Et. (PR)