THE Philippines got off to a fast start in the Smart Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC) Beach Tour Nuvali Open with three huge straight-sets victories yesterday in Santa Rosa, Laguna.
Ran Abdilla and AJ Pareja outhustled Australia’s Potts D’Artagnan and Ben Hood 21-17, 21-19 in the first match at the center court of the world-class Nuvali Sand Courts by Ayala Land while the other Philippine pair of James Buytrago and Rancel Varga overpowered Indonesia’s Yogi Hermawan and Ketut Ardana 21-11, 21-9.
Gen Eslapor and Kly Orillaneda joined the fun by dispatching Singapore’s Cecilia Huichin Soh and Tin Wing Chan 21-9, 21-15.
It was a huge opening-day win for the country and the organizing Philippine National Volleyball Federation headed by Ramon “Tats” Suzara, especially for Pareja and Abdilla who started training together only two months ago.
“We weren’t really focused on the score, we just did what we did in training, focus on the plays, minimize the errors,” Pareja said.
Abdilla and Pareja’s fine start also relieved some of the pressure off old buddies Varga and Buytrago, who pounced on the Indonesians for the quick win.
“Their win (Pareja-Abdilla) was a huge boost in confidence for us,” Varga said.
