Young PH pair stuns ‘SiPons’ in Korea Pro Tour Futures

Khylem Progella and Sofiah Pagara.–Photo from Alas Pilipinas

Filipinos dominated in South Korea, as young Philippine squad member Khylem Progella and Sofiah Pagara stunned their Alas Pilipinas seniors Sisi Rondina and Bernadeth Pons, 21-18, 21-13, to rule the Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour Futures Busan Gwangalli on a rainy Sunday.

Progella and Pagara pulled away in the second set with an 18-10 spread as Progella delivered the last two attacks that clinched their first Futures title.

The young national team duo beat the reigning Southeast Asian Games gold medalists, the ‘SiPons’ duo which has been the face of Philippine beach volleyball for the past several years now.

Progella and Pagara took down Japan’s Mayu Sawame and Wakana Akishige, 17-21, 21-13, 15-11, in the semifinals earlier.

They went through qualifying, defeating Australia’s Mireille Smith and Lavinia Tyrrel, 21-12, 21-17, and Japan’s Harumi Sakai and Shion Tsubouchi, 21-10, 21-11.

Progella and Pagara swept Korea’s Seo Gaeun and Kim Hyunjoo, 21-7, 21-8, and America’s Katie Horton and Jordan Boulware, 16-21, 21-17, 15-9. They eliminated Paurine Emiri Oto and Takemi Nishibori, 21-12, 21-13, in the quarterfinal. INQ