STEFANIE FEJES and Jana Milutinovic came up with a solid performance that started under the sun and concluded under the floodlights for a 21-19, 25-23 victory over fellow Australians Jasmine Fleming and Georgia Johnson in the Smart Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC) Beach Tour Nuvali Open on Sunday.
With daylight fading as both teams battled in a tight second set, the lights at the world-class Nuvali Sand Courts by Ayala Land in the City of Santa Rosa were turned on and the Fejes-Milutinovic due shone and wrapped up the title in 52 minutes.
“We knew them very well so we knew it was going to be a good matchup,” Fejes said. “We fought till the end and we played our game.”
Iran’s Abbas Pourasgari and Alireza Aghajanighasab got a big boost in their bid for a spot in the Paris Olympics by turning back Thailand’s Tipjan Pithak and Taovato Poravid, 21-17-21-15, in the men’s gold medal match of the tournament backed by Foton, Akari, Mikasa, Senoh, Seda, Asics, Cignal, One Sports, One Sports+ and Pilipinas Live.
Aghajanighasab was very pleased that their preparations paid off, noting that they have a very good support team for the Asian competition and their quest for an Olympic berth.
“I’m very happy, this is a big win,” Aghajanighasab said. “I dream of going to the Olympics.”
The battle for women’s bronze was also intense, with Suzuka Hashimoto and Reika Murakami holding off Asami Shiba and Saki Maruyama in an all-Japan showdown, 21-17, 16-21, 15-12, in the tournament organized by the Philippine National Volleyball Federation headed by Ramon “Tats” Suzara.
Australia’s D’Artagnan Potts and Ben Hood salvaged the men’s bronze medal with a 21-15, 21-14 victory over Surin Jongklang and Dunwinit Kaewsai of Thailand.
Fejes and Milutinovic defeated Hashimoto and Murakami, 21-12, 21-18, in the semis on Sunday morning while Fleming and Johnson held off Shiba and Maruyama, 21-17, 21-17.
Pithak and Poravid edged out Potts and Hood, 21-15, 18-21, 15-11, while Pourasgari and Aghajanighasab defeated Surin and Dunwinit, 21-13, 21-17.