VOLLEY

Alas beach spikers make Round of 16

Mark Escarlote · Sep 24, 2026, 4:30 AM

KHYLEM Progella (left) and Sofiah Pagara (right) get a pat on the back from national coach Joao Luciano Kioday after beating Tsolmon Batjargal and Khandsuren Gantogtokh of Mongolia, 21-3, 21-3, to stay perfect in the women’s beach volleyball event of the 20th Asian Games. — Photo courtesy of POC Media Pool

It’s off to the Round of 16 for the two Alas Pilipinas bets in the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games women’s beach volleyball competition.

In just 21 minutes, Khylem Progella and Sofiah Pagara dominated Mongolia’s Tsolmon Batjargal and Khandsuren Gantogtokh, 21-3, 21-3, to stay unscathed in Pool G on Wednesday at the Hekinan Ryokuchi Beach Court.

Throwing their weight around on the overmatched Mongolians, the Filipinas copped their second straight win in as many outings to secure a spot in the knockout round.

The duo, which also swept Maldives on Monday, will try to sweep the group stage and book a favorable pairing in the next phase against the also unbeaten Hong Kong tandem of Wing Tung To and Wing Man To on Saturday.

Also reserving a spot in the next round are the celebrated Alas pair of Sisi Rondina-Rosales and Bernadeth Pons.

The veteran duo didn’t even need to lift a finger to advance.

Kazakhstan’s Merey Kozhakhmet and Laura Kabulbekova crushed Bangladesh’s Most Lucky Khatun and Most Sabina Khatun, 21-6, 21-2, in their Pool E debut.

With only three squads in the group and the top two advancing after the pool stage, the Kazakhs gave the SiPons pair a free ride to the next phase.

The 2025 Southeast Asian Games gold medalists also made short work of the Bangladeshis last Sunday.