All news tagged SisiRondina

The Alas Pilipinas national beach volleyball teams, spearheaded by star duo Sisi Rondina and Bernadeth Pons, are ramping up preparations for the 33rd Southeast Asian Games this December in Thailand.

Fresh from their campaign at the Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour Challenge in Nuvali, Laguna, the Philippine teams are applying valuable lessons from competing against top-tier international squads to their SEA Games push.

“We learned a lot from every match at the Challenge,” said Pons, who, alongside Rondina, made history as the first Philippine pair—men or women—to reach the round of 24 in the event. “We must keep training hard and focus on being consistent in all aspects of our game.”

Brazilian head coach Joao “Kioday” Luciano Simao Barbosa named the SEA Games women’s pool: Sunny Villapando and Dij Rodriguez, Jenny Gaviola and Alexa Polidario, and Kly Orillaneda and Gen Eslapor. Men’s hopefuls include SEA Games bronze medalists James Buytrago and Ran Abdilla, Ronniel Rosales and Rancel Vergara, and Edwin Tolentino and Larry John Francisco. Each country will field two teams per gender.

Team manager Cherry Macatangay confirmed all six pairs will undergo intensive training at the Nuvali Sand Courts to sharpen their skills and conditioning ahead of the December 12–19 competition at Bangkok’s Huamark Sports Complex.

“We’re ready anytime if chosen for the SEA Games,” said Gaviola. “We’ll make the necessary adjustments and keep working to improve.”

Thailand and Indonesia remain the SEA Games beach volleyball powerhouses, while the Philippines has earned six bronze medals—three each in the men’s and women’s divisions—since the sport became a medal event in 2003.

Sisi Rondina and Bernadeth Pons came agonizingly close to extending their breakthrough campaign at the Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour Challenge, but their Cinderella bid ended in heartbreak after a hard-fought 18-21, 24-22, 15-12 defeat to Switzerland’s Annique Niederhauser and Menia Bentele on Friday night at the Nuvali Sands Court by Ayala Land in Santa Rosa, Laguna.

The Alas Pilipinas aces looked on the verge of a stunning advance to the Round of 16, and possibly a deeper run, after forcing a thrilling extended second set. 

The Filipinas capitalized on the Swiss pair’s string of errors, seizing momentum and igniting hopes of a major upset in front of a roaring home crowd.

Alas Pilipinas stars Sisi Rondina and Bernadeth Pons booked a breakthough win on Friday, October 17, in the Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour 2025 Nuvali Challenge in Sta. Rosa, Laguna.

The Filipina duo swept the Slovenian pair, 21-19, 21-9, whom they also defeated in the Futures in Budapest only last month. 

Three Filipino women’s pairs and two men’s tandems are set to compete for main draw berths in the Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour Challenge 2025 qualifiers on Wednesday at the Nuvali Sands Court in Santa Rosa, Laguna.

Ronniel Rosales and Rancel Varga, along with Edwin Tolentino and Larry John Francisco, open the men’s campaign at 9 a.m. against international opponents. Meanwhile, top Filipino duo James Buytrago and Ran Abdilla earned an automatic slot in the main draw as seeded entries.
 

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.

To volleyball fans across the Philippines, the name “Cherry Bomb” ignites instant recognition and admiration. It is not just a nickname—it is a brand of power, resilience, and fire on the court.

The woman behind it is none other than Cherry Ann “Sisi” Rondina, the small but mighty spiker from Compostela, Cebu.

Born on September 4, 1996, Rondina has built a remarkable career in both indoor and beach volleyball, marked by sheer determination and an unmatched work ethic. Now 28, she stands as one of the country’s most accomplished volleyball players, with her journey inspiring a new generation of athletes.

Rondina’s sporting journey began not with volleyball, but with track and field, sprinting barefoot across the beach near her home. Her first real connection with volleyball came in third grade during a simple game with her mother. Coincidentally, a tryout was held the following day, and Rondina, driven by curiosity and natural athleticism, decided to attend.

From there, her path was set. She joined her high school’s varsity volleyball team and soon represented Central Visayas in multiple editions of the Palarong Pambansa, where she first gained national attention. In 2013, she earned the Palarong Pambansa Best Attacker individual award—an early sign of the powerhouse she would become.

Akari wasted no time in claiming a podium finish, sweeping the Choco Mucho Flying Titans in straight sets, 25-15, 26-24, 26-24, to capture the bronze medal in the 2024–25 Premier Volleyball League (PVL) All-Filipino Conference Finals.

The Chargers quickly established dominance, capitalizing on Choco Mucho’s early unforced errors to build momentum. A blistering 7-0 run in the second set showcased Akari’s composure and control, as they kept the pressure on the Flying Titans.

With their firepower on full display, Akari surged to an 18-12 lead. However, a screening violation gave Choco Mucho a much-needed break, halting Akari’s run and shifting the tide. 

Choco Mucho hiked its winning streak to four after achieving a sweet success against Akari, 25-22, 19-25, 25-23, 25-15, in the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) All-Filipino Conference on Saturday night, February 8, at the Philsports Arena.

The Flying Titans sealed the game, reestablishing their groove after the second set hiccup. 

Choco Mucho went into overdrive in the fourth set, after thumping Akari in a close third set, swiftly establishing an 11-4 lead thanks to the efforts of Cherry Nunag, Dindin Santiago-Manabat, and Isa Molde.

Before concluding the game, the Flying Titans kept up their pace and increased their lead to 21-9.