Beach volleyball tandem Sisi Rondina and Bernadeth Pons, known as SiPons, will not be seeing action in the debut professional season of the Premier Volleyball League (PVL), Beach Volleyball Republic President Charo Soriano has confirmed to CNN Philippines.
"After much thought, they have decided to fully focus on beach volleyball since it's SEA games year this year," Soriano said, adding it might be difficult for the tandem to shift from sand court to hard indoor court in a short period of time.
Hashtag #SiPonsForChocoMocho earlier flooded Twitter as fans urge the Rondina-Pons duo to join the Flying Titans, bannered by the likes of Maddie Madayag, Kat Tolentino, Deanna Wong, Bea De Leon, and Denden Lazaro, among others. No other than Flying Titans head coach Oliver Almadro joined the hype.
Rondina and Pons, alongside the tandem Dzi Gervacio and Dij Rodriguez, captured SEA Games 2019 Bronze Medal, giving the country its first beach volleyball medal in the biennial meet since 2005. The tandem also made it to the quarter finals of the 2019 FIVB Beach Volleyball Boracay Open, beating some of the world's best volleyball players.
With limited sports activities due to the pandemic, Soriano, also a board member of Philippine National Volleyball Federation, said they are still waiting for the announcement as to when the national teams will be allowed to train.
Wow F2 playing in PVL!?!? Alam niyo kung Ano pa kulang? Kung maglaro si rondina o pons sa choco mucho!Tama? 😂
— Bacon Austria (@baconaustria) March 11, 2021