Displaying their worth that gave the Philippines a quarterfinals berth in the FIVB World Tour Boracay Open 1-Star last May , Rondina and Pons cruised past Lianga 1's Angel Bolongaita and Lorgeline Galve, 21-7, 21-4, and Jose Maria College's Kristine Deguinon and Daphne Doblado, 21-7, before surviving a tough first set to beat University of Santo Tomas 1's Babylove Barbon and Gen Eslapor, 21-16, 21-8.
McKienzie and Nazmi turned back Far Eastern University 1's Jude Garcia and Doy Barrica, 21-18, 21-17, for a winning start in Pool D play.
Having familiar with Rondina's tendencies, Barbon and Eslapor were in the game in the opening set before the UAAP Season 81 MVP took over to grab the upperhand.
Cashing in the Tigresses' spate of errors in the second frame coupled by their solid attacking game, Rondina and Pons were able to achieve the straight-sets win to remain unbeaten in Pool A.
Perlas' Dzi Gervacio and Dij Rodriguez were solid in Pool B, beating Lianga 2's Leah Mae Pontillo and Jeah Navarro, 21-4, 21-6, and NU-Boysen's Andrea Abian and Chlea dela Fuente, 21-5, 21-8.
Tigers' KR Guzman and Krung Arbasto served notice to their men's championship aspirations, advancing to the next round after sweeping Pool A.
Guzman and Arbasto first beat FEU 2's Kevin Hadlocon and Edelberto Denoy, Jr., 21-18, 21-17, before returning with a 21-17, 23-21 decision over Singapore's Poon Pei Jie and Nicholas Kiu.
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