FOURTEEN hot and charming pairs of volleybelles are expected to beat the summer heat, when the Philippine Superliga (PSL) Challenge Cup beach volleyball tournament 2016 unfurls on Saturday at the SM Sands By the Bay in Mall of Asia in Pasay City.
“This idea is to continue the development of beach volleyball in the country,” said PSL President Tats Suzara in a media launch at Center Stage in Mall of Asia by the bay.
Last year’s champions Danika Gendrauli and Norie Jean Diaz parted ways for this tournament bankrolled by SM By the Bay, Petron, Foton, Accel, Mikasa, Senoh and Island Rose with TV5 as official broadcast partner.
Gendrauli will team up with Aby Maraño for F2 Logistics, while Diaz hooked up with Pau Soriano for Standard Insurance-Philippine Navy A.
Maraño, who will play beach volleyball in PSL for the first time, admitted there’s pressure to perform but Gendrauli is helping her to get ready.
“Ang laki ng pressure, especially since most of them are beach volleyball players talaga,” Maraño said. “But since I’m teaming up with Danika, naroon ang confidence ko na kaya niya akong madala as a teammate.”
Gendrauli and Marano will lead Bracket B along with Maica Morada and Ces Molina of Petron Sprint 4T and Florence Madulid and Pau Genido of Standard-Insurance-Philippine Navy B.
Diaz and Soriano, on the other hand, will head Bracket A along with Jeannie Delos Reyes and Genie Sabas of RC Cola-Army-B and Jasmine Alcayde and Angelica Dacaymat of University of the East (UE).
Seasoned spikers Aiza Maizo-Pontillas and Bang Pineda of Petron XCS will banner Bracket C along with Shaira Hermano and Niella Ramilo of Mapua and Aileen Abuel and Princess Listana of Accel Quantum Plus.
RC Cola-Army A Jovelyn Gonzaga and Nene Bautista, meanwhile, will battle Vhima Condada and Mary Grace Berte of Cignal, Bernadette Pons and Kyla Atienza of Far Eastern University (FEU) and April Ross Hingpit and Jonafer San Pedro of Meralco in Bracket D.
The top two teams of each pool will advance to the quarterfinals. All games of the quarter finals, semifinals, and finals will be a knockout game.
The men’s action will start on May 14. Madsairi Nur-amin and Roldan Medino teamed up for Philippine Navy-A; Pajiji Alsali and Milover Parcon for Philippine Navy-B; Rey and Reylan Taneo for Cignal Team Awesome; Philip Bagalay and Paul John Cuzon for Wayuk; Arjay Salcedo and Bobby Gartidula for IEM; Geric Rodmar Ortega and Ruvince Abrot for UE-Manila; Joshua Barrica and Jude Garcia for FEU-A; Rikko Mamerto and Kevin Hadlocon for FEU-B; and twins Daniel and Tim Young for SM By the Bay.