KHY Progella joins Sofiah Pagara in steering Team Gameville UST 1 to the Beach Volleyball Republic Kings and Queens 2025 title recently at the Nuvali Sand Courts in City of Santa Rosa in Laguna. Photograph courtesy of BVR
NATION

UST dominates BVR beach volleyball tourney

DT

University of Santo Tomas (UST) completed a 1-2-3 finish in the advanced women and men's divisions in the Beach Volleyball Republic (BVR) Kings and Queens 2025 one-day tournament last 13 December at Nuvali Sand Courts in City of Santa Rosa in Laguna.

Team GameVille UST 1's Sofiah Pagara and Khy Progella, the newly-minted University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) champions, bested fellow Tiger Sands Cheng Dadang and Angelica del Mar, and Cameron Villaluz and Francine Osis to rule the women's advanced.

Smael Salon and Dom Gabito starred in Team GameVille UST 1's men's advanced triumph over teammates Aldwin Gupiteo and JM Lagaran, and Mark Bihag and James Apdian.

Team UPLB Nyaw's Charles Berosil and Airish Reyes took home the intermediate championship, topping Team Wasak Crew's Arvee del Rosario and Pierre Dervite, and Team Jack N Jill's Onyl Canson and Doms Cordero.

A total of 35 competing teams are competing in the event in partnership with Beach Volleyball Manila, as the Kings & Queens of the Sand event celebrated a milestone celebrated on how far beach volleyball has come.

The one-day league came 10 years after BVR organized its first-ever competition that paved the way for the country's sand court stars.

With Alas Pilipinas women's historic gold medal in the just-concluded 33rd Southeast Asian Games, the BVR will continue to push beach volleyball to greater heights.