Manila: Filipinos Sofiah Pagara and Khylem Progella defeated Germans Mareet Maidhof and Tabea Schwarz, 21-19, 28-26, on Wednesday to reach the final round of the qualifier in the Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour Nuvali Challenge at the Nuvali Sands Courts in Sta. Rosa, Laguna.
According to Philippines News Agency, after six match points in the second set, Pagara put the Philippines on the cusp of the main draw, finishing with 25 points. Progella supported her with eight points. Pagara and Progella will battle for a main draw slot against Hungary's Lilla Villam and Stefania Kun, who scored a 21-19, 21-23, 15-10 victory over China's Tong Yu and Jiaying Wang.
Sunny Villapando and Gen Eslapor lost to Canadians Amy Ozee and Marie-Alex Belanger in the qualifiers, 21-14, 21-14; Dij Rodriguez and Kly Orillaneda fell to French pair Marine Kinna and Anouk Dupin, 21-16, 21-11; while Alex Polidario and Jenny Gaviola bowed to China's Jiang Kaiyue and Jie Dong, 21-17, 21-11.
Meanwhile, SEA Games gold medalists Sisi Rondina and Bernadeth Pons are eager to gain points and experience in the event supported by the Philippine Sports Commission and the Philippine Olympic Committee. Rondina expressed her excitement about the challenge posed by competing against Olympians and emphasized their readiness for the competition.
Ranran Abdilla and Ronniel Rosales are in the men's main draw, where Chase Budinger, a former NBA player turned beach volleyball player, will see action with his partner Trevor Crabb. Top-seeded Americans Corinne Quiggle and Chloe Loreen aim for their second Beach Pro Tour medal in the fifth Challenge stop of the competition, supported by Rebisco, Akari, Ayala Land, and PLDT.
Tokyo 2020 Olympic silver medalist Taliqua Clancy and Jana Milutinovic, along with partner Stefanie Fejes of Australia, Paris 2024 Olympians Monika Paulikiene and Aine Raupelyte of Lithuania, American winners Alexis Durish and Audrey Koenig, French Olympians Lezana Placette and Alexia Richard, and defending Nuvali Challenge champions Anniina Parkkinen and Valma Prihti of Finland are joining the first Pro Tour hosted by the Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) headed by Tonyboy Liao.
Liao highlighted the significance of hosting an international event in the Philippines, noting the opportunity it provides for local players to compete against international players without traveling abroad. He expressed hope for the success of the Beach Volleyball Pro Tour Challenge and the performance of the Philippine teams.
