ALAS PILIPINAS banked on the likes of Thomasian great Sisi Rondina, Bernadeth Pons, Dij Rodriguez and Sunny Villapando to seize the country’s first-ever Southeast Asian (SEA) Games women’s beach volleyball crown on Friday, Dec. 19, in Chonburi, Thailand.
In the 33rd iteration of the biennial meet, the Philippines ended Thailand’s 22-year supremacy, dethroning the country that had dominated the event since its introduction in 2003.
Alas ousted the host team with a stunning sweep in the best-of-three finale, 2-0.
Former Golden Tigress Rondina partnered up with co-star spiker Pons in the opener. The duo dubbed as “SiPons” whipped Worapeerachayakorn Kongphopsarutawadee and Taravadee Naraphornrapat to take control of the finale, 21-17, 21-15.
Veteran Rodriguez and newcomer Villapando then handled business in the next match with a 21-13, 17-21, 15-6 victory over Tanarattha Udomchavee and Rumpaipruet Numwong.
The last time the two teams played was on Dec. 17, when the Thai women rolled past the Filipina sandbelles in two games.
Before the historic feat, Rondina, Pons and Rodriguez only settled for bronze finishes — 2019 on home turf and 2021 in Vietnam.
Genesa Jane Eslapor, a former Lady Tiger Sand, was also part of the gold-clinching team as a reserve. F
