UNIVERSITY of Santo Tomas’ Sofiah Pagara and Khy Progella saw their bid for a seven-peat and 10th women’s crown overall off to a smashing start in the UAAP Season 87 collegiate beach volleyball tournament at the Sands SM By The Bay on Friday.
Progella’s collegiate debut was triumphant as the two-time UAAP high school girls beach volleyball champion joined forces with Pagara in beating Far Eastern University’s Lovely Lopez and Melody Pons, 21-16, 21-14, and Ateneo’s Liz Lomocso and Grydelle Matibag, 21-17, 21-13.
Pagara, last season’s top rookie, Progella has a vast experience, as the Alas Pilipinas pair was fresh from a stint in the recently-concluded Asian Senior Beach Volleyball Championship in Santa Rosa, Laguna.
National University’s Honey Grace Cordero and debuting Kat Epa also recorded two wins to start the season on a high note.
Cordero and Epa made quick work of University of the Philippines’ Euri Eslapor and Julia De Leon, 21-16, 21-14, before returning in the afternoon session with a 21-17, 21-18 conquest of Adamson University rookies Shai Nitura and Fei Sagaysay.
Progella took over the spot from last year’s MVP Gen Eslapor, who has already graduated.
The Tiger Sands-Blue Eagles match saw the first meeting between former high school teammates Progella and Matibag, who teamed up in UST’s first-ever girls beach volleyball championship last year.
In other games, University of the East’s Van Bangayan and Krisha Revilla outlasted Ateneo’s Lomocso and Matibag, 21-18, 15-21, 15-11, while Adamson’s Nitura and Sagaysay defeated La Salle’s Sophia Sindayen and Ela Raagas, 21-6, 21-18.
Action resumes Saturday at 10 a.m. with six matches.
