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CHAMPION
spikers from De La Salle University (DLSU)-Dasmariñas
and Emilio Aguinaldo College (EAC) are tipped to make a
splash when the 2008 Petron Ladies’ Beach Volleyball
Battle of the Champions reels off Friday afternoon at
the Baywalk sand courts in Puerto Princesa City.
The pair
of Precious Grace Abano and April Almaden, and the
tandem of Christine Levanza and Donna Mae Factor will
finally get to know what it’s like to play on a
different playing surface when action begins at 3:30
p.m.
Abano
and Almaden are members the DLSU-Dasmariñas Lady
Patriots, who led their school to the Universities and
Colleges Athletic Association (UCAA) women’s indoor
crown two weeks ago.
On the
other hand, Levanza and Factor are banking on the
experience they got after spearheading the EAC Lady
Generals to two titles and a runner-up finish in another
collegiate league.
“Kakaibang
experience ito. Iba ang paglalaro sa sand, at
ang playing surface ng indoor sa
outdoor. First time pa namin ito,” said Levanza.
The
five-foot-seven Almaden and the five-foot-four Abano are
making an effort to adjust their playing style to the
rugged conditions of the sport.
“Our
adjustment is in terms of speed and teamwork. We have to
double our efforts here,” said Abano, after she and the
rest of the participating teams planed in from Manila to
the capital city of Palawan.
The four
are among eight Metro Manila pairs shooting for the
overall crown, together with second-leg winners Danielle
Michiko Castaneda and Lea Acepcion, and third-leg
champions Hannah Suarez and Angela Benting.
They
will be joined by the two pairs from Palawan in the
two-day event almost coinciding with Puerto Princesa
City Mayor Edward Hagedorn’s 62nd birthday on October
12.
Hagedorn
is the guest of honor in the opening ceremonies, and
will do the ceremonial toss with Petron executive Pat
Avanceña-Lota. The mayor considers the staging of the
fourth leg of the Petron spikefest as his gift to the
citizens of Puerto Princesa City.
Also
seeing action are second-leg runner-up Carmela Lopez
with new teammate Ivory Joy Rivera, and University of
the Philippines’ Pauleen Mae Genido, with partner
Southlyn Ramos, and Philippine School of Business
Administration’s Roxanne Naral and Dyrene Rose Benecio. |
