THE Philippines’ AJ Pareja and Ran Abdilla in action against Thailand’s Banlue Nakprakhong and Wichaya Wisetkan

GEN Eslapor and Kly Orillaneda fell a tad short of the quarterfinals as the New Zealand pair of Katie Sadlier and Meile Rose Green marched on with a 21-18, 16-21, 15-12 victory on Saturday in the FIVB Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour Futures at the Nuvali Sand Courts by Ayala Land in the City of Santa Rosa.

The lady spikers from the Philippine Air Force looked to have gained control of the high-noon showdown with a dominant second set only to fall behind early in the decider with the New Zealanders wrapping up the match in 55 minutes.

The 5-foot-6 Orillaneda rued having to play catch-up in the third.

“It was mostly because of our errors,” Orillaneda said. “We gave them some crucial points and it’s disappointing because we knew we could pull it off, we just didn’t execute.”

“We need to be able to convert points in transition,” said the 5-foot-7 Eslapor.  

Sadlier and Green, who earlier defeated Rēzija Puškundze and Loreta Cabule of Latvia, 24-26, 21-13, 15-4, in the Round of 12, set up a quarterfinal showdown with the German pair of Chenoa Christ and Anna-Lena Grüne.

Alexa Polidario and Jenny Gaviola earlier bowed out of the competition with a 10-21, 7-21 loss to Lithuania’s Marija Karaliute and Urte Andriukaityte.

In men’s play, the Philippines’ AJ Pareja and Ran Abdilla found their rhythm in the second set after a slow start but Thailand’s Banlue Nakprakhong and Wichaya Wisetkan proved too much, 12-21, 17-21.

Yusuf Özdemir and Batuhan Kuru of Turkey routed New Zealand’s James Sadlier and Juraj Krajci, 21-13, 21-15, Germany’s Philipp Huster and Bennet Poniewaz drubbed Ryo Tatsumi and Shiro Furuta of Japan, 21-11, 21-14, while Csanád Petik and Domonkos Dóczi beat Bence Tari and Bence Attila Stréli in an all-Hungarian match-up, 21-18, 21-14.

In other women’s preliminary matches, Charanrutwadee Patcharamainaruebhorn and Woranatchayakorn Phirachayakrailert of Thailand rose from a set down to beat Canada’s Devon May and Kaitlin Lomas, 19-21, 21-18, 15-7.

Harumi Sakai and Mayu Kikuchi of Japan drubbed Malaysia’s Mashitah Muhama Nasir and Shamsulrizal Nur Auni Maisarah, 21-10, 21-8 in the event backed by Smart Communications, Santa Rosa City Mayor Arlene Arcillas, Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Olympic Committee, Senoh, Mikasa, Foton Motor Philippines Inc. and Seda Nuvali.

The tournament features 38 teams from 16 countries.