THE Philippines’ Gen Eslapor and Kly Orillaneda managed to move into the next phase despite a tough loss late Friday in the Smart Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC) Beach Tour Nuvali Open.
Eslapor and Orillaneda placed second in Pool H of the competition at Nuvali Sand Courts by Ayala Land in the City of Santa Rosa after a 9-21, 19-21 defeat to Kazakhstan’s Laura Kabulbekova and Nadezhda Ivanchenko.
The Filipinas next take on Australia’s Tara Phillips and Elizabeth Alchin, who swept their preliminary matches, including a 21-16, 21-16 win over the other Filipina pair in Alexa Polidario and Jen Gaviola on Thursday.
The Aussie pair beat Japan’s Riko Tsujimura and Takemi Nishibori, 21-10, 21-15, on Friday.
Thailand’s P. Woranatchayakorn and P. Charanrutwadee also enter the Round of 16 unbeaten after dispatching Tsang Ngokling and Wong Manching, 21-15, 21-10, while Olivia MacDonald and Danielle Quigley of New Zealand also advance unscathed after defeating Hong Kong’s To Wingtung and To Wingman, 21-18, 21-13.
Japan’s Suzuka Hashimoto and Reika Murakami march on after a 21-11, 21-11 rout of Thailand’s Patcharaporn Seehawong and Samita Simarongnam. The Thai pair also advances as the No. 2 team from the group and will take on Australia’s Jasmine Fleming and Georgia Johnson, who emerged group winner after a 21-12, 21-7 win over New Zealand’s Katie Sadlier and Meile-Rose Green.
Stefanie Fejes and Jana Milutinovic scored a 21-15, 21-12 victory over Thailand’s Rumpaipruet Numwong and W. Veeradakittikarn.