TOUGH MATCH. The Philippines' Rancel Varga tries to score while James Buytrago looks on during the match against Japan’s Kosuke Fukishima and Hiroki Dylan Kurokawa in the preliminary round of the Smart Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC) Beach Tour Nuvali Open at the Nuvali Sand Courts by Ayala Land in Sta. Rosa, Laguna on Friday (April 5, 2024). The Filipinos lost, 22-20, 26-28, 13-15. (PNVF photo)
MANILA – Filipinos Rancel Varga and James Buytrago bowed to Japan’s Kosuke Fukishima and Hiroki Dylan Kurokawa, 22-20, 26-28, 13-15, on Friday but they gained the top spot in their group after the preliminary round of the Smart Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC) Beach Tour Nuvali Open at the Nuvali Sand Courts by Ayala Land in Sta. Rosa, Laguna.
The point earned from the three-set loss, plus the straight-sets victory over Indonesia’s Yogi Hermawan and Ketut Ardana, were enough for the Filipinos to lead Pool H ahead of the round-of-16.
Varga and Buytrago will meet Indonesia’s Bintang Akbar and Sofyan Efendi, who split their two preliminary matches. The Indonesians lost to Australian pair Paul Burnett and Jack Pearse, 12-21, 16-21, on Friday.
The other Filipino pair of AJ Pareja and Ran Abdilla also advanced from Pool D after a split of their preliminary matches. They will take on Pool G leader Abdolhamed Mirzaali and Abolhassan Khakizadeh of Iran.
Meanwhile, Alexa Polidario and Jen Gaviola fell to Japan’s Riko Tsujimura and Takemi Nishibori, 5-21, 4-21, the Filipinos' second straight loss.
In other matches, Indonesia's Desi Ratnasari and Nur Atika Sari defeated Kazakhstan’s Anastassiya Ukolova and Mariya Peressetskaya, 21-13, 17-21, 15-12, while Thailand's Patcharaporn Seehawong and Samitta Simarongnam outclassed Singapore’s Eliza Chong and Huiying Ang, 21-12, 21-10, in the event supported by Foton, Akari, Mikasa, Senoh, Seda, Asics, Cignal, One Sports, One Sports+ and Pilipinas Live.
Macau’s Leong Onieng and Law Wengsam survived Hong Kong’s Tsang Ngokling and Wong Manching, 17-21, 22-20, 15-12.
To Wingtung and To Wingman, also from Hong Kong, scored a 21-10, 21-10 victory over Malaysia’s Mashitah Muhamad Nasir and Auni Shamsulrizal, while Laura Kabulbekova and Nadezhda Ivanchenko trounced Cecilia Huichin Soh and Tin Wing Chan, 21-10, 21-9 in the tournament organized by the Philippine National Volleyball Federation led by Ramon “Tats” Suzara.
In other men’s results, Thailand's Tipjan Pithak and Taovato Poravid clobbered Hong Kong’s Wong Puilam and Lau Cheukyin, 21-10, 21-13, while Thailand’s Surin Jongklang and Dunwinit Kaewsai drubbed Indonesia’s Danangsyah Pribadi and Yosi Firnanda, 21-16, 21-8.
Iran’s Abbas Pourasgari and Alireza Aghajanighasab downed Japan's Yusuke Ishijima and Kensuke Shoji, 21-13, 22-20, to sweep their preliminary matches while Kazakhstan’s Dmitriy Yakovlev and Sergey Bogatu prevailed over Thailand’s Netitorn Muneekul and Muadpha Wachirawit, 21-15, 22-24, 16-14. (PNA)
