WINNING PAIR. Latvia’s Rezija Puskundze (right) receives the ball while Loreta Cabule (02) looks on during their match against Korea’s Shin Jieun and Si Eun-Mi in the FIVB Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour Futures at the Nuvali Sand Courts in Santa Rosa, Laguna on Thursday (April 11, 2024). The Latvian pair won, 18-21, 21-13, 21-12. (PNVF photo)
MANILA – Czech Republic's Vaclav Kurka and Krystof Oliva downed Sweden's Teddie Almblad Engvall and Fabian Isaksson, 21-11, 21-16, in the second round of qualifiers for the FIVB Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour Futures at the Nuvali Sand Courts by Ayala Land in Santa Rosa, Laguna on Thursday.
The Czechs drew a first-round bye while the Swedish pair defeated Germany’s Niko Meyer and Moritz Klein, 21-18, 21-16, in their opening match.
Latvians Liepa and Esnests Puskundzis, who also had a first-round bye, beat Japan’s Ryo Shindo and Shuma Watanabe, 21-15, 21-19.
Other winners were New Zealand’s James Sadlier and Juraj Krajci over Sweden’s Linus Isaksson and Theodor Grahn, 21-19, 21-19, and Japan's Ryo Tatsumi and Shiro Furuta over Malaysia’s Ler Wei Chun and Looi Kai Xu, 22-20, 21-14.
Meanwhile, Latvians Rezija Puskundze and Loreta Cabule prevailed over Korea’s Shin Jieun and Si Eun-Mi, 18-21, 21-13, 21-12, in the women's division of the event organized by the Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) and supported by Smart Communications, Santa Rosa City Mayor Arlene Arcillas, Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Olympic Committee, Senoh, Mikasa, Foton Motor Philippines Inc. and Seda Nuvali.
The Philippines has two teams in each division of the tournament featuring 38 teams from 16 countries.
The 6-foot-4 AJ Pareja and 6’2 Ran Abdilla, and Rancel Varga and James Buytrago are competing in the 21-team men’s field, while the pairs of Philippine Air Force Spikers Kly Orillaneda and Gen Eslapor, and Army’s Alexa Polidario and the Coast Guard’s Jenny Gaviola, are entered in the 17-team women's division. (PNA)
