The Philippine women’s beach volleyball teams on Monday gave Alas Pilipinas a shot at an Asian Games podium finish, advancing to the quarterfinals in contrasting straight-set victories in Japan.
Sofiah Pagara and Khy Progella outlasted Hong Kong’s Man Ching Wong and Ngok LingTsang, 26-24, 21-18, in 43 minutes at the Hekinan Ryokuchi Beach Court, surviving a tight opening set before pulling away in the second.
Sisi Rondina and Bernadeth Pons had a more comfortable passage, beating Japan’s Sakura Ito and Mayu Sawame, 21-17, 21-15, to join their compatriots in the knockout round.
The Japanese pair briefly threatened to turn the second set into a contest, but the pressure proved costly. Japan sent four attacks out of bounds, handing Alas Pilipinas the match.
For Rondina and Pons, the quarterfinal berth comes after a bumpier group-stage ride. They lost to Kazakhstan’s taller Merey Kozhakhmet and Laura Kabulbekova, 17-21, 21-10, 10-15, but earlier victories had already secured their place in the knockout round.
The double advance keeps alive the possibility of the Philippines claiming its first Asian Games beach volleyball medal, with both women’s pairs now three wins away from the top step and two from the podium.
The men’s campaign, meanwhile, has already ended. James Buytrago and Ronniel Rosales fell to Indonesia on Sunday and failed to reach the quarterfinals.
That leaves the women carrying the Philippine beach volleyball flag into the business end of the tournament. Two pairs remain standing, and with medals now within sight, every serve suddenly comes with considerably more baggage.
