American Alexis Durish prepares to hit the ball in the Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour Nuvali Challenge in Sta. Rosa, Laguna on Friday night (May 22, 2026). She and Audrey Koenig defeated Ukrainians Inna Makhno and Iryna Makhno, 21-17, 21-19, to reach the Round of 16. (PNVF photo)
Fresh off a title run in China, American duo Alexis Durish and Audrey Koenig kept their momentum rolling after dispatching Ukraine’s Inna Makhno and Iryna Makhno, 21-17, 21-19, to secure a spot in the Round of 16 of the Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour Nuvali Challenge in Sta. Rosa, Laguna Friday night.
The victory underscored the Americans’ resilience after bouncing back from a difficult opening setback, showing the same form that powered them to four Beach Pro Tour gold medals — including a championship triumph at the Xiamen Challenge in China just days earlier.
Durish said the pair focused heavily on tightening up key aspects of their game following Thursday’s loss.
“Today, we just really focused on our passes, and yesterday wasn’t our best,” Durish said. “We’re trying to learn from that experience, and we executed pretty well.”
The Americans entered the knockout round as the second-ranked team in Pool D with a 1-1 record after absorbing a 17-21, 19-21 defeat to fellow Ukrainians Yeva Serdiuk and Daria Romaniuk on Thursday.
Despite the setback, Durish emphasized their steady approach heading into the business end of the tournament.
“We just take it one game at a time and don’t worry about the past,” she said. “Every team here is tough, and we’re grateful for the opportunity to compete against them.”
Durish and Koenig now move forward with confidence in a stacked field featuring some of the world’s top beach volleyball tandems.
Also punching their tickets to the next phase of the tournament organized by the Philippine National Volleyball Federation and backed by the Philippine Sports Commission were Americans Madelyne Anderson and Alaina Chacon.
Advancing teams also included Canada’s Molly McBain and Ruby Sorra, Estonia’s Heleene Hollas and Liisa Remmelg, Hungary’s Lilla Villám and Stefánia Kun, France’s Lezana Placette and Alexia Richard, Ukraine’s Tetiana Lazarenko and Sofiia Kurnikova, and Dutch pair Nigella Negenman and Floor Hogenhout.
With knockout battles heating up in Nuvali, the race for the title is shaping into a fierce showdown among international contenders aiming to leave Laguna with championship glory.