All news tagged AlasPilipinas

For the first time, James Buytrago and Jude Garcia teamed up, claiming the men's title in dominant fashion after fellow Alas pair Ronniel Rosales and Rancel Varga were forced to retire in the Final due to injury.

Buytrago and Garcia secured the first set, 21-14, and were leading 9-5 in the second when Rosales suffered muscle cramps, rendering him unable to continue. The match was awarded to Buytrago and Garcia, capping off an undefeated campaign.

Buytrago and Garcia were in control throughout the tournament, going 5-0 without dropping a set. 

In pool play, they defeated University of the Philippines’ Christian Pitogo and Angelo Lipata (21-16, 21-11) and Intra Asian Volleyballista’s Krung Arbasto and Dominique Gabito (21-15, 21-14).

In the knockout rounds, Buytrago and Garcia overpowered College of Saint Benilde's Mark Jun Garcia and Alvin Sulayman, 21-14, 21-15, before defeating Alas teammates Ranran Abdilla and Edwin Tolentino, 21-15, 21-17, in the semifinals.

Meanwhile, Rosales and Varga earned their spot in the Final with a hard-fought 21-17, 20-22, 15-13 victory over NUNS’ Alex Cabatuan and Sky Gemarino in a gripping semifinal battle.

Abdilla and Tolentino concluded their podium with a bronze medal finish.

After a two-year break from competitive beach volleyball, Sisi Rondina and Bernadeth Pons returned with a statement—they’re still the team to beat.

The dynamic duo, “SiPons,” capped off a perfect run at the PNVF Beach Volleyball National Open with a thrilling comeback victory over fellow Alas Pilipinas members Sunny Villapando and Dij Rodriguez, 17-21, 21-16, 16-14, in the finals held at the Nuvali Sand Courts in Laguna last Saturday, May 24.

Despite their time away from the sand, Rondina and Pons showed little rust at first. They went undefeated in all five matches, not dropping a single set until the championship, showcasing the chemistry and firepower that made them national icons in the sport.

Their campaign began with commanding wins in the pool stage—21-11, 21-6 over National University Nazareth School’s Faith Mangyao and Liezl Dejan, followed by a 21-12, 21-15 victory against University of the Philippines' Euri Eslapor and Kassie Doering.

In the knockout rounds, Rondina and Pons continued their dominance, cruising past Jenny Gaviola and Alexa Polidario in the quarterfinals, 21-9, 21-12, then edging Sofiah Pagara and Khy Progella in a tighter semifinal match, 21-15, 21-19.

But it was in the gold medal match where the pair showed their grit and championship pedigree. After dropping the first set, they rallied back to take the second and edged a nail-biting third set to seal the victory and reclaim their spot atop Philippine beach volleyball.

Their successful comeback serves as a reminder of their elite status and raises anticipation for future international campaigns as part of the national team.

The FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship 2025 will begin on September 12 with the opening match between the host nation, the Philippines, and Tunisia at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.

The 64th-ranked Philippine men’s volleyball team will play world No. 24 Tunisia, an 11-time African champion, to round out the largest edition of the global tournament.

After its tournament debut, Alas will take a four-day break before starting its home campaign against the current African champion and world No. 20 Egypt.

The host team will play Iran, the second-highest ranked Asian team, on September 18 to wrap up pool play in what may be a make-or-break matchup for a berth in the Round of 16.

The remaining eight-pool, 32-team field will be divided across the Pasay City site  and the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City.

Pools D featuring USA, E piloted by Slovenia, and H starring Brazil will play at the MOA Arena with Alas and Pool A.

Meanwhile, Pool B with top-ranked Poland, C with second-seeded France, F with powerhouse Italy and G with fan-favorite Japan will stage pool play at the Big Dome.

The knockout stage will take place in Pasay over eight days, from September 20 to September 28.