PH beach volleyball queen Sisi Rondina out to unleash 'do-or-die' mentality in Thailand OQT

Sisi Rondina and the whole Philippine beach volleyball team return to the sands on Friday with one goal in mind: qualify for the Tokyo Olympics.

Rondina, who is billed as the most experienced player within the team after seeing action in the 2014 Rio Olympics Qualifiers, stressed she'll treat every game as if it's her last.

“In this setup, it’s a do-or-die game because one win, you’re in the final, and one loss, you’re out," said Rondina, a former skipper of the University of Santo Tomas.

“This is a rare opportunity for us, facing very strong teams because we’ve been battling teams in the Southeast Asian regions.”

Rondina is no stranger to crucial, must-win matches.

The Cebuana hotshot led the Golden Tigresses in dethroning the De La Salle University Lady Spikers in the 2019 UAAP semifinals en route to a Finals appearance after an eight-year drought.

They faced the Ateneo Lady Eagles in the championship round where they won the first match but fell prey in the next two games despite a gallant stand.

And Rondina hopes to bring in her 'never say die' mantra for the national team as they vie for an Olympic berth in the Asian Volleyball Confederation Continental Cup on Friday in Nakhon Pathom, Thailand.

“This is a rare opportunity for us, facing very strong teams because we’ve been battling teams in the Southeast Asian regions," the 5-foot-6 spiker, who copped bronze during the 2019 SEA Games beach volleyball event, said.

She will banner a team composed of her partner Bernadeth Pons along with the other pair of Dij Rodriguez and Babylove Barbon while Mer Jauculan and Gen Eslapo are the reserves.

On the men's side, Jaron Requinton and James Buytrago headline the team while Jude Garcia and Anthony Arbasto compose the second duo.Ranran Abdilla and Philip Bagalay are on the reserve list.

—Bea Micaller/JMB, GMA News