Jayrack de la Noche and Alexander Iraya lost steam after a close opening set and yielded to Australia’s Jack Pearse and Lucas Josefsen, 22-20, 21-9, Wednesday in the FIVB Beach Volleyball U19 World Championships in Phuket, Thailand.
Josefen, a quarterfinalist in the 3rd Asian U19 Championships in Nakhon Pathom last July with a different partner, and Pearse gained a more aggressive form in the second set for their second straight win in Pool H.
De la Noche and Iraya’s defeat, for their part, arranged them a must-win match against Estonia’s Karmo Saviauk and Kaur Erik Kais being played at press time for a spot in the Round of 24.
The Filipino pair bowed on opening day to Thailand’s Narakorn Chumaphai and Veerayut Sopati, 21-15, 25-19.
The Estonians, meanwhile, survived the Thais, 21-19, 16-21, 15-13, to tie their victims in second place with a 1-1 win-loss record.