Alas Pilipinas is officially underway in the beach volleyball competition of the 2026 Asian Games, and the Philippine campaign couldn’t have asked for a much more convincing start.
Sisi Rondina and Bernadeth Pons opened their first Asian Games together with a dominant victory over Bangladesh, winning in straight sets, 21-6, 21-6, at the Hekinan Ryokuchi Beach Court in Aichi, Japan.
Yes, 21-6 and 21-6.
It was about as comfortable an opening victory as the Filipinas could have hoped for.
But that’s just the beginning.
The Philippines has multiple entries in the men’s and women’s beach volleyball competitions, with Rondina and Pons joined by another strong women’s tandem in Khylem Progella and Sofiah Pagara.
The men’s side also features experienced Alas Pilipinas players looking to make their own run through the Asian Games tournament.
So if you’re following Alas Pilipinas Beach Volleyball at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, this page will serve as our running guide to the schedule, results, next matches and Philippine pairs competing in Japan.
Latest update: September 20, 2026
Content
Alas Pilipinas Beach Volleyball Asian Games 2026 Quick Guide
Tournament: 20th Asian Games – Aichi-Nagoya 2026
Sport: Beach Volleyball
Competition dates: September 20 to October 3, 2026
Venue: Hekinan Ryokuchi Beach Court
Location: Hekinan, Aichi Prefecture, Japan
Events: Men’s Beach Volleyball and Women’s Beach Volleyball
The Philippine delegation is competing in both divisions. Beach volleyball is scheduled to run from September 20 through October 3 as part of the Asian Games program.
Alas Pilipinas Beach Volleyball Results
Let’s start with what has already happened.
Sisi Rondina and Bernadeth Pons vs Bangladesh
Result: Philippines won, 2-0
Score:
21-6
21-6
Rondina and Pons defeated Bangladesh’s Most Lucky Khatun and Most Sabina Khatun in their opening Pool E match.
It was an impressive way for the veteran Filipino tandem to introduce themselves to the Asian Games.
This is also Rondina and Pons’ first Asian Games appearance together.
They didn’t need much time to settle in.
The Filipinas controlled both sets and allowed Bangladesh only 12 points over the entire match.
For a team entering the tournament with hopes of reaching the podium, getting through the opener without being dragged into a long three-set battle is certainly a useful start.
Alas Pilipinas Beach Volleyball Schedule and Results
Here is the running Philippine tracker.
Women’s Beach Volleyball
| Philippine Pair | Opponent | Round | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sisi Rondina / Bernadeth Pons | Bangladesh | Pool E | Won, 21-6, 21-6 |
| Sisi Rondina / Bernadeth Pons | Kazakhstan | Pool E | Upcoming |
| Khylem Progella / Sofiah Pagara | TBD / Pool Stage | Preliminary | Upcoming |
Men’s Beach Volleyball
| Philippine Pair | Round | Status |
|---|---|---|
| James Buytrago / Ronniel Rosales | Preliminary Round | Upcoming |
| Ranran Abdilla / Renren Francisco | Preliminary Round | Upcoming |
Daily Asian Games orders of play can change, so individual match times should be checked again once the organizers confirm each day’s final schedule.
When Is Sisi Rondina and Bernadeth Pons’ Next Match?
After beating Bangladesh, Rondina and Pons are scheduled to face Kazakhstan in their remaining Pool E assignment.
Their opponents are:
Merey Kozhakhmet and Laura Kabulbekova of Kazakhstan.
The published Philippine preview lists the Kazakhstan match as the pair’s next Pool E assignment.
Sisi Rondina / Bernadeth Pons vs Kazakhstan
Opponent: Merey Kozhakhmet / Laura Kabulbekova
Country: Kazakhstan
Round: Women’s Preliminary Round – Pool E
Date: September 25, 2026, based on the published pool schedule
Exact time: Subject to the official daily order of play
Venue: Hekinan Ryokuchi Beach Court
This will be a much more significant match for the Pool E standings.
Rondina and Pons already have one victory, so another win would put them in a strong position heading into the knockout portion of the tournament.
Who Are Sisi Rondina and Bernadeth Pons?
For casual sports fans who mostly know Alas Pilipinas from indoor volleyball, this pair needs very little introduction among Philippine beach volleyball followers.
Cherry Ann “Sisi” Rondina and Bernadeth Pons have become the most recognizable tandem in the national beach volleyball program.
They were part of the Philippine team that captured a historic women’s beach volleyball gold medal at the 2025 Southeast Asian Games in Thailand.
And instead of immediately returning full-time to their respective Premier Volleyball League teams, the two committed significant portions of 2026 to international beach volleyball competition in preparation for the Asian Games.
That meant playing stronger opposition.
It meant traveling.
It meant entering AVC and Beach Pro Tour events.
And gradually, the results started coming.
Rondina and Pons’ Road to the Asian Games
Their Asian Games preparation included one of their strongest international stretches as a partnership.
At the AVC Beach Tour Pingtung Open, Rondina and Pons reached the final after beating experienced Australian and Thai opposition along the way.
Then came the Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour Futures event in Busan, South Korea.
The Philippines didn’t just reach the podium there.
It produced an all-Filipino championship match.
Rondina and Pons reached the final, while younger national teammates Khylem Progella and Sofiah Pagara came through the other side of the bracket.
Progella and Pagara eventually defeated Rondina and Pons, 21-18, 21-13, for the title.
Just think about that for a moment.
Two Philippine pairs reached the championship match of an international Beach Pro Tour event.
That result showed why the women’s beach volleyball squad entered the Asian Games with more than just one competitive tandem.
Khylem Progella and Sofiah Pagara
Don’t overlook the other Filipina pair.
Khylem Progella and Sofiah Pagara have quietly developed into one of the most exciting teams in the Philippine beach volleyball program.
And after what they did in Busan, “quietly” probably doesn’t apply anymore.
Progella and Pagara went through qualification and then won seven consecutive matches on their way to the Beach Pro Tour Futures title.
They eventually beat their more experienced teammates Rondina and Pons in the final.
They also reached the quarterfinals of the AVC Beach Volleyball Continental Championship earlier in September.
At that tournament, they defeated Kazakhstan’s Kristina Karimova and Yekaterina Ryukhova, 21-13, 21-14, before cruising past Uzbekistan, 21-5, 21-7.
They later reached the quarterfinals before losing to Australia’s Stefanie Fejes and Taliqua Clancy.
So this isn’t simply a Philippine team built around Rondina and Pons anymore.
There are two women’s tandems capable of producing results against international opponents.
Alas Pilipinas Women’s Beach Volleyball Roster
The Philippine women’s entries are:
Sisi Rondina
Bernadeth Pons
and
Khylem Progella
Sofiah Pagara
Brazilian coach Joao Luciano Kiodai is handling the women’s national beach volleyball program for the Asian Games campaign.
Alas Pilipinas Men’s Beach Volleyball Roster
The Philippines also has entries in the men’s competition.
The Asian Games-bound men’s players include:
James Buytrago
Ronniel Rosales
Ranran Abdilla
Renren Francisco
The Philippine Star reported that the country would field the Buytrago-Rosales and Abdilla-Francisco tandems in the men’s division.
Like the women, these players have spent plenty of time playing together and against international opposition.
James Buytrago and Ronniel Rosales
Buytrago and Rosales competed at the AVC Beach Volleyball Continental Championship earlier this month.
Their campaign in China didn’t produce the result they wanted, with losses against pairs from Japan, Australia and Lebanon.
But that’s also the level of competition the Philippine teams need to become accustomed to.
The Asian Games brings together many of the same countries that regularly contend for medals in Asian beach volleyball.
Japan.
China.
Iran.
Qatar.
Thailand.
Kazakhstan.
Indonesia.
And others.
There really isn’t much room for an easy match once the tournament reaches the elimination rounds.
Ranran Abdilla and Renren Francisco
The other Philippine men’s tandem includes veteran beach volleyball player Ranran Abdilla.
Abdilla has been a familiar name in Philippine beach volleyball for years and has competed in both domestic and international tournaments.
The men’s entries give the Philippines another opportunity to advance deep into the competition, although the field contains several established Asian beach volleyball powers.
Philippine Women’s Pool Situation
Rondina and Pons are competing in Pool E.
Their opening opponents were Bangladesh.
The Kazakhstan pair of Merey Kozhakhmet and Laura Kabulbekova completes their key remaining pool assignment according to the published Philippine schedule.
Their situation after the opening match is therefore simple:
Philippines: 1 win
Bangladesh: lost to Philippines
Kazakhstan: remaining opponent for Rondina/Pons
Another Philippine victory would strengthen their position heading toward the elimination phase.
How Does Asian Games Beach Volleyball Work?
Beach volleyball matches are played as best-of-three sets.
The first two sets are played to 21 points.
If the match goes to a deciding third set, that set is played to 15.
A team must win a set by at least two points.
The tournament starts with pool play before qualified pairs move into the knockout rounds.
From there, there’s no room for a bad day.
Lose in the knockout stage and the medal run can be over.
That’s why getting favorable positioning during pool play matters.
Where Is Asian Games Beach Volleyball Being Played?
All the beach volleyball action is being staged at the Hekinan Ryokuchi Beach Court in Hekinan City, Aichi Prefecture.
Hekinan sits south of Nagoya along Mikawa Bay.
It is one of the many competition areas being used for the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, which are spread across different locations rather than being concentrated in a single city.
The Asian Games themselves run from September 19 until October 4, while beach volleyball is scheduled from September 20 to October 3.
What Time Are the Matches in the Philippines?
Here’s one convenient thing about following the Asian Games in Japan.
Japan is only one hour ahead of the Philippines.
So:
9:00 AM Japan = 8:00 AM Philippine time
12:00 PM Japan = 11:00 AM Philippine time
1:00 PM Japan = 12:00 PM Philippine time
6:00 PM Japan = 5:00 PM Philippine time
The Rondina-Pons match against Bangladesh was scheduled for 12 noon Manila time in the Philippine preview.
For the upcoming matches, it’s always best to use Philippine time once the daily order of play is finalized.
Where to Watch Alas Pilipinas Beach Volleyball
Cignal is the official Philippine broadcaster of the 2026 Asian Games.
Coverage is available across Cignal platforms, including One Sports and Pilipinas Live, although the exact sport shown on each platform can depend on the day’s schedule and simultaneous events.
Because dozens of events can be happening at the same time, not every beach volleyball match is guaranteed to appear on the main television channel.
For that reason, Pilipinas Live is worth checking whenever a Philippine pair is scheduled to play.
Why Beach Volleyball Is One of the Philippine Events to Watch
Beach volleyball probably won’t get the same mainstream attention as basketball, boxing, gymnastics or athletics.
But this Philippine squad enters the Asian Games with legitimate international results behind it.
The women’s program in particular has produced:
A historic SEA Games gold medal.
An all-Filipino international Beach Pro Tour final.
A Beach Pro Tour Futures championship for Progella and Pagara.
A runner-up finish for Rondina and Pons.
Deep runs in AVC tournaments.
Those aren’t guarantees of an Asian Games medal.
But they do show that these pairs aren’t entering the tournament without experience against quality international opposition.
And that’s what makes the beach volleyball campaign interesting.
Sisi Rondina and Bernadeth Pons’ Asian Games Debut
There’s another reason the Bangladesh victory was meaningful.
This is the first Asian Games appearance for Rondina and Pons as a tandem.
Rondina has represented the Philippines many times, but the Asian Games is a different stage.
Pons said before the competition that the team’s goal was to reach the podium while acknowledging how difficult the task would be.
Their first match couldn’t have gone much better.
They came out quickly.
They controlled the game.
And they didn’t give Bangladesh an opportunity to make either set competitive.
21-6.
21-6.
Done.
Now comes the next test.
Alas Pilipinas Beach Volleyball Next Match
For Rondina and Pons:
Philippines vs Kazakhstan
Philippine pair: Sisi Rondina / Bernadeth Pons
Kazakhstan pair: Merey Kozhakhmet / Laura Kabulbekova
Round: Pool E
Status: Upcoming
Venue: Hekinan Ryokuchi Beach Court
The Kazakhstan match will complete another important part of the Filipinas’ preliminary campaign.
For the other Philippine pairs, the detailed schedule will continue to be filled in as the official daily order of play is confirmed.
Alas Pilipinas Beach Volleyball Live Results Tracker
Women’s Division
Sisi Rondina / Bernadeth Pons
Record: 1-0
Latest result: Defeated Bangladesh, 21-6, 21-6
Next opponent: Kazakhstan
Status: Pool stage ongoing
Khylem Progella / Sofiah Pagara
Status: Asian Games preliminary round
Latest Asian Games result: To be updated
Men’s Division
James Buytrago / Ronniel Rosales
Status: Asian Games preliminary round
Results: To be updated
Ranran Abdilla / Renren Francisco
Status: Asian Games preliminary round
Results: To be updated
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Sisi Rondina playing at the Asian Games 2026?
Yes.
Sisi Rondina is competing in women’s beach volleyball alongside Bernadeth Pons.
Did Rondina and Pons win their first match?
Yes.
They defeated Bangladesh’s Most Lucky Khatun and Most Sabina Khatun, 21-6, 21-6.
Who will Rondina and Pons play next?
Their next Pool E opponent is Kazakhstan’s Merey Kozhakhmet and Laura Kabulbekova.
Who are the Philippine women’s beach volleyball players?
The Asian Games contingent includes Rondina and Pons as well as Khylem Progella and Sofiah Pagara.
Who are the Philippine men’s beach volleyball players?
The Philippine men’s entries include James Buytrago, Ronniel Rosales, Ranran Abdilla and Renren Francisco.
Where is the beach volleyball competition being held?
At the Hekinan Ryokuchi Beach Court in Hekinan, Aichi Prefecture, Japan.
When is Asian Games beach volleyball?
The beach volleyball competition is scheduled from September 20 through October 3, 2026.
Where can Filipinos watch the Asian Games?
Cignal is the Philippine broadcast rights holder, with Asian Games coverage available through platforms including One Sports and Pilipinas Live.
Final Thoughts
That’s one win on the board.
And it was a convincing one.
Sisi Rondina and Bernadeth Pons opened their Asian Games campaign by dismantling Bangladesh, 21-6, 21-6, immediately giving the Philippine beach volleyball team some early momentum.
But there’s much more to follow.
Rondina and Pons still have Kazakhstan ahead of them.
Khylem Progella and Sofiah Pagara bring their own international title-winning form into the competition.
And the men’s tandems of James Buytrago and Ronniel Rosales, along with Ranran Abdilla and Renren Francisco, will try to push the Philippine campaign forward on the men’s side.
Beach volleyball might be played away from the huge indoor arenas of Nagoya.
But don’t overlook what’s happening on the sand in Hekinan.
Alas Pilipinas has arrived at the Asian Games.
And after that 21-6, 21-6 start, the Philippine campaign is already worth watching.
