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A total of 12 collegiate teams across the island will see action in the three-day elimination with six teams apiece vying for top honors in the men and women’s division. Reigning men’s titlist Mindanao State University-Tawi-tawi will lead the cast in the island’s qualifying event that is expected to feature intense beach volley showdown. The other competitors are Agusan Institute of Technology, Ateneo de Davao, Capitol University, Holy Cross of Davao, Jose Maria College, Mahardika Institute of Technology, Mindanao State University-Marawi, Tawi-tawi Regional Agricultural College, University of Mindanao-Tagum, Universidad de Zamboanga and Xavier University. The top finishers in each division will advance to the semi-finals and championship round that will be held in Boracay on April 24-26. In Boracay, the Mindanao qualifiers will be pitted against the top beach volley teams from Luzon and the Visayas with more than P500,000 in cash prizes are at stake. The champions will be taking home P150,000, the runners-up getting P75,000 and third placers receiving P40,000. The event will follow double elimination system which is the standard tournament format used in the international beach volley tournament. It will apply the FIVB standard match format — 2 out of 3 sets (21-21-15 rally point system).
Last year, MSU-Tawi-tawi and UM-Davao City topped the elimination.
After the three-day Mindanao qualifying, action goes to the Island Cove Hotel and Leisure Park in Cavite on March 25-27 for the Luzon qualifying, followed by the Visayas elimination set April 8-10 at the University of St. La Salle in Bacolod City. “This year, Nestea Beach Volley goes national as we now bring action-packed beach volley games in four areas: Tagum, Bacolod City, Cavite and of course, Boracay,” said Tina Samaco, Nestlé AVP and Nestea consumer marketing manager in internet reports.
She added that Nestea would adopt one beach each year as part of its beach clean-up efforts with the Island Garden City of Samal being this year’s adopted beach.
The first beach clean-up activity is set on March 8 in Coral Garden Marine Park in Island Garden City of Samal to be followed in Boracay on April 25. (Rico Biliran / MindaNews)