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Bacolod
City—Twelve schools, led by defending women’s champion
University of the Visayas (UV), will slug it out for the
remaining slots to the 2008 Nestea Beach Volley National
Finals as the third and final leg of the nationwide
qualifying tournaments unfurls Tuesday at the University
of St. La Salle.
Just
like in the two previous regional eliminations—the
Mindanao and Luzon legs—top-notch competition is
expected in the Visayas stop, especially because the
field is loaded with teams with winning traditions in
this 12-year history of the annual summer event.
 Besides
the Cebu-based UV, the other teams in the field also
seeking to resume their winning ways are
Foundation
University,
University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJ-R) and
Southwestern University (SWU).
Foundation U won the men’s title in 2001, while USJ-R
won twice in 2002 and 2004. SWU, on the other hand, is
the most successful squad in the event, having won the
women’s crown three years in a row from 2003.
Also
vying for tickets to the Boracay finals from April 24 to
26 in both the men’s and women’s divisions are Colegio
de la Purisima Concepcion, Iloilo Doctors College,
University of Iloilo, University of Negros Occidental-Recoletos,
University of St. La Salle-Bacolod, University of San
Agustin, University of San Carlos and University of
Southern Philippines Foundation (USPF).
The
Mindanao eliminations were held early this March at the
Tagum Beach Volley Drome at Rotary Park, which saw the
entry to the national finals of Capitol University,
University of Mindanao-Tagum and Holy Cross of Davao
College in the men’s, and University of Mindanao-Tagum,
Holy Cross of Davao College and University of Mindanao-Davao
in the women’s.
The
Luzon eliminations were staged two weeks back at the
Island Cove Hotel and Leisure Park with Far Eastern
University, Philippine Christian University and
University of Perpetual Help-Dalta nailing the three
Boracay slots in the men’s division, and Adamson
University, Far Eastern University and Lyceum of the
Philippines
advancing in the women’s side.
The
champion squads in both divisions in the nationals will
also receive P150,000 each, while the runners-up and the
third placers will get P75,000 and P40,000,
respectively.
Former
champions in the men’s division were University of Santo
Tomas (1997), San Sebastian College (1998 and 2003), Far
Eastern University (1999), Letran College (2000),
Foundation University (2001) and University of San Jose-Recoletos
(2002 and 2004), College of Saint Benilde (2005) and
Adamson University (2006).
In the
distaff side, the previous titlists were University of
the Philippines (1997), UST (1998-99), San Sebastian
(2000-01), Adamson (2002), Southwestern University
(2003-05), Benilde (2006) and University of Visayas
(2007).
The
Nestea Beach 2008 is sponsored by Havaianas, Speedo,
Mikasa, Penshoppe, Tagum Beach Volleydrome at Rotary
Park, University of St. La Salle-Bacolod, Island Cove
Resort Hotel and Leisure Park, Crystal Sand Beach
Resort, Le Soleil de Boracay Hotel, La Carmela de
Boracay Resort Hotel, D’Mall, D’Boracay and Hey! Jude
Hotel Resort. |
