Progella, Pagara punch semis ticket

Alas Pilipinas’ Khylem Progella and Sofiah Pagara booked their ticket to the semifinal after outworking Japan’s Non Matsumoto and Ren Matsumoto, 24-22, 22-20, in the 20th Asian Games women’s beach volleyball competition quarterfinal on Wednesday at the Hekinan Ryokuchi Beach Court.

The duo showed great resolve in repelling the Japanese sisters’ determined comeback attempts to advance to the next stage, as the Philippines surpassed its fifth-place finish in the previous edition three years ago.

“Exhausting but very happy. We knew it’s not gonna be easy even with our height advantage against them. But we fought for this. We prayed hard to get the result we wanted and prepared for in the past months,” Progella said.

Alas’ dream of an all-Filipino semis, however, was foiled after Sisi Rondina-Rosales and Bernadeth Pons bowed to Thailand’s Taravadee Naraphornrapat and Worapeerachayakorn Kongphopsarutawadee, 17-21, 21-12, 13-15, which ended their campaign.

Progella and Pagara will try to snatch a gold medal round seat and avenge their compatriots against the Thais in the semis today at 8 a.m. (Manila time).

The Progella-Pagara tandem had to hang tough in the closing stretch of both sets as the hosts mounted late rallies to force extended play.

The Philippines took a 20-18 lead in the opening set, but the Matsumotos fired back and forced a deuce. Progella and Pagara took two more set-point advantages before finally breaking free from the back-and-forth crawl after Non Matsumoto sent her attack out.