Sisi Rondina and Bernadeth Pons fuel Philippines’ Beach Volley momentum for SEA Games, as they strike gold in PNVF Invitational 

For the second straight major tournament, Sisi Rondina and Bernadeth Pons proved exactly why they remain the gold standard of Philippine beach volleyball. But this time, they did it with a script that showed both grit and championship poise.

After getting stunned early in the opening set of the all-Alas women’s final, the duo flipped the momentum completely, storming back to defeat Sunny Villapando and Dij Rodriguez, 11-21, 21-15, 15-6, to capture the Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) Beach Volleyball Invitational crown on Sunday at the Nuvali Sand Courts in Santa Rosa, Laguna.

The match felt less like a routine victory and more like a declaration that the country’s top pair is peaking at the perfect moment. Just as they did in May at the PNVF National Open — also organized by Beach Volleyball Republic — Rondina and Pons once again denied Villapando and Rodriguez in the championship match. 

But this win carried a different texture: a reminder that even when pushed to the brink, the queens of the sand know exactly how to seize back control. 

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SEA Games-bound Rondina-Pons, Abdilla-Buytrago pairs top PNVF Invitationalhttps://t.co/on6jkVIItC

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Their road to the title was fittingly dominant. After sweeping Pool A, they cruised past UST’s Cameron Villaruz and Lorien Gamboa in the quarterfinals, then outplayed Alas teammates Alexa Polidario and Jenny Gaviola in the semifinals.

 By the time they reached the gold match, the chemistry and confidence were unmistakable.

The men’s final mirrored the same brand of authority. Ranran Abdilla and James Buytrago, two stalwarts of the national squad, steamrolled Ronniel Rosales and Rancel Varga, 21-12, 21-10, completing a flawless championship run without dropping a single set. 

Their blend of athleticism and composure made them the clear class of the field, having topped Pool A before dispatching UST’s Smaela Salon and Alijhan Apdian in the quarters and defeating Aldwin Gupiteo and Lance Malinao in the semifinals.

The podium came with its share of impressive stories as well. Kly Orillaneda and Gen Eslapor secured third place in the women’s division after a convincing 21-17, 21-12 win over Polidario and Gaviola. On the men’s side, Gupiteo and Malinao completed their climb to the podium with a gutsy 19-21, 21-19, 18-16 escape against Tiger Sands’ Edwin Tolentino and Lerry Francisco.

But beyond medals and bragging rights, the significance of the two-day tournament was clear: this was the final tune-up before the battles that matter most.

With the Southeast Asian Games just weeks away, the momentum couldn’t be better. The Philippines will field powerhouse pairings on both sides — Rondina–Pons and Rodriguez–Villapando for the women, and Buytrago–Abdilla and Rosales–Varga for the men — when beach volleyball takes place from December 12 to 19 at the Huamark Sports Complex in Bangkok, Thailand.

Since beach volleyball entered the SEA Games program in 2003, the country has collected six bronze medals. Now, armed with depth, chemistry, and renewed confidence, the Pinoy squads are hoping the next breakthrough will shine much brighter than bronze.

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