VALIANT EFFORT. The Philippines' Gen Eslapor (on the ground) and Kly Orillaneda during the recent Smart Asian Volleyball Confederation Beach Tour at Nuvali Sand Courts in Santa Rosa City, Laguna. They lost to New Zealand’s Katie Sadlier and Meile Rose Green, 21-18, 16-21, 15-12, in the Last 16 of the Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour Futures at the same venue on Saturday (April 13, 2024). (Contributed photo)
MANILA – New Zealand's Katie Sadlier and Meile Rose Green foiled the quarterfinal aspiration of local duo Gen Eslapor and Kly Orillaneda with a 21-18, 16-21, 15-12 win in the FIVB Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour Futures at Nuvali Sand Courts in Santa Rosa City, Laguna on Saturday.
The Philippine Air Force spikers managed to secure the second set but fell behind early in the decider as the New Zealand pair claimed victory after 55 minutes.
“It was mostly because of our errors. We gave them some crucial points and it’s disappointing because we knew we could pull it off. We just didn’t execute,” Orillaneda said in an interview.
“We need to be able to convert points in transition,” Eslapor added.
Sadlier and Green, who scored a 24-26, 21-13, 15-4 victory over Latvians Rēzija Puškundze and Loreta Cabule of Latvia in the Round of 12, will be up next against Germans Chenoa Christ and Anna-Lena Grüne.
The other Filipino pair of Alexa Polidario and Jenny Gaviola also bowed out of the competition with a 10-21, 7-21 loss to Lithuania’s Marija Karaliute and Urte Andriukaityte.
In other preliminary results, Thailand’s Charanrutwadee Patcharamainaruebhorn and Woranatchayakorn Phirachayakrailert rallied past Canada’s Devon May and Kaitlin Lomas, 19-21, 21-18, 15-7; and Japan’s Harumi Sakai and Mayu Kikuchi clobbered Malaysia’s Mashitah Muhama Nasir and Shamsulrizal Nur Auni Maisarah, 21-10, 21-8.
Meanwhile, Thailand’s Banlue Nakprakhong and Wichaya Wisetkan booted out the Philippines’ AJ Pareja and Ran Abdilla in men’s play, 21-12, 21-17.
Yusuf Özdemir and Batuhan Kuru of Turkey trounced New Zealand’s James Sadlier and Juraj Krajci, 21-13, 21-15; Germany’s Philipp Huster and Bennet Poniewaz downed Japan’s Ryo Tatsumi and Shiro Furuta, 21-11, 21-14; and Hungarians Csanád Petik and Domonkos Dóczi defeated compatriots Bence Tari and Bence Attila Stréli, 21-18, 21-14.
The tournament, featuring 38 teams from 16 countries, is supported by the Philippine Sports Commission and Philippine Olympic Committee. (PNA)
