San Beda, UST top inaugural BVR Youth tournament

MANILA, Philippines–San Beda Bea Udarbe and Kirsten Diamoda ruled the girls’ U18 division, while University of Santo Tomas’ JM Lagaran and Lance Malinao topped the boys’ U18 side in the first-ever Beach Volleyball Republic (BVR) Youth Tournament on Sunday at Nuvali Sand Courts in City of Santa Rosa, Laguna.

Udarbe and Diamoda bested Shainnah Gubac and Nieva Tamayo, 21-9, 21-8, in an all-San Beda final to complete a six-match sweep of the girls’ U18 division.

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Lagaran and Malinao dominated the boys U18 side by winning all five of their matches, capped by a 22-20, 21-14 conquest of National University-DutchBoy’s Ethan Jadraque and John Emanuel Roda.

In the girls’ U14 category, UST’s Karlyn Progella and Jeshylle Sulampid won the gold at the expense of Core’s Rheanna Silva-Netto and Daniel Reyes, 21-6, 21-10, for an undefeated 5-0 campaign.

Udarbe, who led the Lady Red Spikers to an NCAA Season 101 championship last May and was named Rookie/Freshman-MVP, teamed up with Diamoda in securing three victories in pool play. They sustained their unbeaten run by beating AP6X’s Princess Manuat and Moira Dizon in the quarterfinal, and NU-DutchBoy’s Jojie Obeñita and Kiesha Illut in the semifinal.

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Lagaran and Malinao, who were part of the Junior Tiger Sands’ UAAP Season 87 high school boys champion team last year, went perfect in three pool matches and won their semis duel with UPAC Riders’ Terrence Yeung and Kian Kless.

In the girls U18 bronze medal match between NU-DutchBoy squads, Alaiza Candelario and Julia Carungay upended Obeñita and Illut, 21-7, 21-17.

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Another UST boys U18 pair, Wensjuban Cadayona and Bon Morillo, reached the podium following a 21-6, 21-9 romp of UPAC Riders’ Yeung and Kless.

NETX B’s Zanthe Abling and Selene Madamba clinched third place in the girls U14 after beating Addie Cruz and Scarlet Mago, 21-14, 21-10.

A total of 17 teams–eight in girls U18, four in boys U18 and five in girls U14–competed in the two-day competition.