By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña
Guimaras-native Jovelyn Gonzaga and partner Sisi Rondina bagged the gold medal during the 2022 Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour Futures held in Subic last December 11, 2022.
The 1-2 punch took down co-Filipina pair Genesa Jane Eslapor and Floremel Rodriguez, 22-24, 21-12, 15-12, in the championship match of the prestigious tournament.
It was a courageous fightback from Gonzaga and Rondina after dropping the first set in a back-and-forth affair, 22-24.
After going down 0-1, the more experienced tandem steam rolled their way in the next two sets and dominated on both ends of the floor.
Gonzaga’s timely hits midway through the second set allowed them to pull away and was capped off by Rondina’s net kills.
As the match continued in the third and deciding set, the intensity also ramped up as Eslapor and Rodriguez matched the opposition’s firepower and adjusted their middle blocking to catch up in the scoring.
It was also a tough stretch for the champions as Rondina began nursing cramps in the last 10 minutes of action.
Despite the cramps, the former University of Santo Tomas (UST) superstar scored three-straight points to seal the deal and take home the championship trophy.
“We were tired. After having gone through the competition, the pressure, and the strong opposition. I could hardly jump, even during our pre-final training,” said Rondina.
The country’s top 1 & 2 results during the tournament are also the best outing by any Filipino team in the history of beach volleyball.
“The result augurs well for Philippine volleyball, and for sure, the PNVF national team program will push toward getting better in the international arena,” said Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) president Ramon “Tats” Suzara.
