By Jean Malanum
MANILA – Filipino pair Sofiah Pagara and Khylem Progella failed to secure a main draw slot after bowing to Hungary’s Lilla Villam and Stefania Kun, 19-21, 18-21, in the Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour Nuvali Challenge at the Nuvali Sands Courts in Sta. Rosa, Laguna.
Wednesday night.
Trailing 12-16 in the second set, Pagara delivered two aces and two attacks as Alas Pilipinas tied the score at 16-all.
But Kun and Villam, champions at the 2025 Balıkesir Futures in Turkey, fought back to take a 19-16 lead before holding off a late challenge from the hard-hitting Pagara to advance in the next round of the event supported by Rebisco, Akari, Ayala Land, and PLDT.
“It was very overwhelming. We learned a lot. They are experienced players from abroad, so we are very grateful that even though we fell short, we showed what we are capable of,” said Pagara, who finished with 19 points.
“I just really wanted to win, so I told myself I would give my best.”
Pagara and Progella defeated Germany’s Mareet Maidhof and Tabea Schwarz, 21-19, 28-26, to reach the final qualifying round.
Villam paced Hungary with 14 points, while Kun added 10 points.
Wies Bekhuis/Desy Poiesz and Nigella Negenman/Floor Hogenhout of the Netherlands, Kaiyue Jiang/Jie Dong of China, Andressa Ramalho/Taina Bigi of Brazil, Sofia Bisgaard/ Cirkeline Høg of Denmark, Marie-Alex Bélanger/Amy Ozee of Canada and Daniele Kvedaraite/Jekaterina Saule of Lithuania completed the women’s main draw of the first Pro Tour hosted by the Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) led by Anthony “Tonyboy” Liao.
In the men’s division, Alex Iraya and Alihfaisal Gampong fell to Australia’s Oliver Merritt and Jed Walker, 7-21, 13-21, while Edwin Tolentino and Lerry Francisco lost to Brazil’s Gabriel Santiago and Johann Dohmann, 12-21, 11-21.
Seeing action in the main draw are 2025 SEA Games champions Sisi Rondina and Bernadeth Pons in the women’s division and Ranran Abdilla and Ronniel Rosales in the men’s division. (PNA)
