FAR Eastern University downed National College of Business and Arts, 21-17, 21-16, yesterday and served a strong notice of its bid for a third straight title in the Luzon leg of the Nestea Fit Beach Volley National Circuit.

Joshua Alcarde and Jan Berlin Paglinawan, barely in their first week as partners in beach volley, started cold but once they got going, proved too much for NCBA?s Salvador Timbal Jr. and Marvin Cortez.

Alcarde, who skipped last year?s tournament, is back with his high-flying ways, providing the experience for his rookie teammate, and getting FEU?s bid for the national title off to a very good start.

There are 12 men?s and 11 women?s teams competing in the three-day Luzon leg at the SM Mall of Asia Bay Area, and the top three in each division will advance to the Boracay finals on May 6 to 9.

?Our game plan is to do it slowly but surely. We must be ready for every match, whoever the opponent is. We must improve each day,? said the 21-year-old Alcarde in Filipino.

He was part of the 2007 FEU team that placed second to Mindanao State U in Boracay. Last year, it was Edjed Mabayad and Gerry Mabutol who led FEU to the Luzon title although they failed to land in the finals in Boracay.

Foundation U was the men?s overall champion last year, while Southwestern U, also from the Visayas, was the women?s champion.

In other men?s matches on opening day, NCBA defeated UP, 22-20, 21-11, before losing to FEU; Lyceum B whipped La Salle Taft, 21-11, 21-13; La Salle Dasmari?as edged Adamson, 21-12, 21-15; Letran survived San Beda, 21-15, 21-15; and Lyceum won again at the expense of St. Benilde, 21-17, 22-20.

In the women?s division, early winners were UE over St. Louis University, 21-11, 21-11; Letran over La Salle Dasmari?as, 17-21, 21-17, 15-6; University of the Cordilleras over UP, 21-13, 21-12; and University of Baguio over San Beda Alabang, 21-17, 21-18.