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Tag: Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour Nuvali Challenge

  • Sisi Rondina, Bernadeth Pons show fight despite early exit in stacked Nuvali Challenge field

    Sisi Rondina, Bernadeth Pons show fight despite early exit in stacked Nuvali Challenge field

    Sisi Rondina and Bernadeth Pons may have exited the Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour Nuvali Challenge without a win, but not without proving they could stand their ground against some of the world’s rising beach volleyball pairs.

     

    Facing a much taller and more experienced Swiss tandem in Annique Niederhauser and Menia Bentele on Thursday at the Nuvali Sands Courts, the Alas Pilipinas duo pushed the match to the limit before bowing out, 20-22, 22-24, in a tightly contested battle that showcased both their grit and growing chemistry.

     

    The loss officially ended the Filipinas’ campaign in the tournament after finishing the modified pool play at 0-2, but the scoreline hardly reflected how competitive the match truly was.

     

    After narrowly dropping the opening set, Rondina and Pons responded with arguably their best stretch of the tournament in the second frame. The Filipinas dictated the tempo early and eventually built a 19-16 lead after Bentele committed a costly service error that energized the home crowd.

     

    For a moment, it looked like the hosts were headed for a deciding third set.

     

    But the Swiss pair refused to crack under pressure.

     

    Niederhauser and Bentele answered with a timely 4-0 surge to snatch back control, before surviving a tense extension capped by Niederhauser’s block and Bentele’s finishing attack to clinch a Round of 24 berth in the tournament organized by the Philippine National Volleyball Federation and supported by the Philippine Sports Commission under chairman Patrick Gregorio.

     

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    Despite the heartbreak, Rondina took pride in how quickly she and Pons managed to compete at a high level together.

     

    “I’m proud of the result. It’s just nice because Pons only trained with me for one and a half weeks, but we were able to keep up with them,” said Rondina after the loss.

     

    For Pons, the tournament also served as a reminder of the massive leap in competition between regional events and the world stage.

     

    “The level of competition in the Challenge is really different. So I’m very grateful to compete against volleyball players from around the world,” Pons added.

     

    Bentele paced Switzerland with 13 points, while Niederhauser contributed 12 as the European pair once again ended the Filipinas’ Nuvali campaign after also defeating them in last year’s edition.

     

    Rondina carried the scoring load for Alas Pilipinas with 12 points, while Pons chipped in six markers in their final match of the tournament backed by Rebisco, Akari, Ayala Land, and PLDT.

     

    Earlier in the day, the Filipina tandem also absorbed a straight-set defeat to Denmark’s Sofia Bisgaard and Cirkeline Hog, 19-21, 17-21.

     

    Still, even in defeat, Rondina and Pons showed flashes of a partnership capable of challenging established international teams — something the Philippines hopes to continue building moving forward. 

     

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  • Sisi Rondina, Bernadeth Pons embrace giant challenge as world’s beach volleyball elite arrive in Nuvali 

    Sisi Rondina, Bernadeth Pons embrace giant challenge as world’s beach volleyball elite arrive in Nuvali 

    For years, Sisi Rondina and Bernadeth Pons spent most of their international journeys chasing stronger competition overseas.

     

    This week, the challenge finally came to them.

     

    Fresh off delivering a historic beach volleyball gold medal for the Philippines in the 33rd Southeast Asian Games, Rondina and Pons now find themselves stepping into an entirely different battlefield — one filled with Olympians, world-ranked pairs, and some of the sport’s biggest names at the Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour Nuvali Challenge.

     

    And instead of backing down from the moment, the Alas Pilipinas tandem is embracing it.

     

    “Actually, it’s really exciting. Personally, I’m excited about the challenge because there are so many Olympians here. You already know that Pons and I are the type of players who always grab opportunities whenever they come. That’s why we’re really preparing and mentally ready because we know this will be a very tough competition,” said Rondina.

     

    The Filipina pair opens its main draw campaign Thursday at the Nuvali Sands Courts, carrying not just momentum from Bangkok but also the expectations of a home crowd eager to see local stars compete against the world’s elite.

     

    But Rondina knows the jump in level will be massive.

     

    “What we showed in the SEA Games won’t be enough here. We’ll need to give double or even triple the effort because the level of players here is completely different. Our goal is to keep up with them and deliver consistent performances.”

     

    That challenge becomes even clearer when looking at the field assembled in Santa Rosa.

     

    Among those seeing action are Tokyo 2020 Olympic silver medalist Taliqua Clancy of Australia, Paris 2024 Olympians Monika Paulikiene and Aine Raupelyte of Lithuania, French Olympians Lezana Placette and Alexia Richard, and defending Nuvali Challenge champions Anniina Parkkinen and Valma Prihti of Finland.

     

    Top-seeded Americans Corinne Quiggle and Chloe Loreen also headline the tournament, while former NBA player turned beach volleyball standout Chase Budinger banners the men’s side alongside Trevor Crabb.

     

    For Rondina, however, the moment is bigger than simply facing international stars.

     

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    Hosting a world-class event on Philippine sand gives local players a rare chance to grow without leaving home — and perhaps expose more Filipino fans to beach volleyball’s rising scene.

     

    “Honestly, it’s both exciting and pressuring. Even if it’s a home court advantage, it’s still different when you know the players you’re facing are more experienced or at a higher level. But aside from the pressure, I’m happy because this is happening here in the Philippines,” said Rondina.

     

    “It’s also great that there are audiences watching because we’re able to invite indoor volleyball supporters to watch beach volleyball too and experience a different side of the sport. Imagine the Philippines is competing against Olympians. We’re just praying that we can show a good performance.”

     

    Beyond Rondina and Pons, several other Philippine pairs are also fighting to make noise in the prestigious event.

     

    Sofiah Pagara and Khylem Progella moved within one win of the main draw after surviving Germany’s Mareet Maidhof and Tabea Schwarz in a dramatic qualifier, 21-19, 28-26.

     

    Pagara erupted for 25 points, including crucial plays after the Filipinas saved six match points in the second set.

     

    Meanwhile, Sunny Villapando and Gen Eslapor, Dij Rodriguez and Kly Orillaneda, and Alex Polidario and Jenny Gaviola all bowed out in the qualifiers against more experienced international opposition.

     

    For Philippine National Volleyball Federation president Tonyboy Liao, simply bringing this level of competition to the country already marks a major step for the program.

     

    “This is really good for the Philippine team because instead of traveling abroad, we get to compete here at home against international players. This tournament is a huge challenge because the level of competition is much higher. There are also more ranking points at stake, so it’s really a great opportunity for us,” said Liao.

     

    “Sisi and Pons are fighters no matter who they face. They’ll always compete hard. Hopefully, all the Philippine teams perform well, and hopefully, the Beach Pro Tour Challenge becomes a success. It’s also a big moment for us because this is our first term hosting an international event.”

     

    For Rondina and Pons, though, the mission feels simple. 

     

    The medals and titles may have already come in Southeast Asia, but this week offers something entirely different — a chance to see exactly how far Philippine beach volleyball can go against the sport’s biggest names. 

     

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