UST, La Salle share UAAP volley honors

MANILA, Philippines –  University of Santo Tomas (UST) outclassed Far Eastern University (FEU) in three hard-fought sets, 29-27, 26-24, 25-23, to complete a “four-peat” in the UAAP Season 73 men’s volleyball tournament at the Arena yesterday.

Finals MVP Jayson Ramos punched in 11 points, including seven attacks and three aces, while Salvador Depante III also normed 11 to lead the Tigers to a 2-0 sweep of the Tams in the best-of-three title series. UST took the opener, 20-25, 25-23, 25-23, 25-25 last Wednesday.

Meanwhile, the La Salle lady spikers dethroned the UST Tigresses as UAAP women’s champion after hacking out a pulsating 25-18, 25-17, 28-26 win.

Finals MVP Cha Cruz and Michelle Gumabao scored 14 apiece and Season MVP Jacq Alarca added 11 as DLSU, the titlist two years ago but only bridesmaid to UST last year, brought the trophy back to the Taft campus.

The title was a fitting parting gift to graduating Alarca and Stephanie Mercado. Though Mercado finished with six points, she made three crucial hits in the third set that enabled DLSU to overhaul a 21-24 deficit and prevent UST from forcing a fourth frame.

It was the sixth overall crown for the DLSU Lady Spikers, who virtually swept the competitions this year. Their only loss was via forfeiture to University of the East due to two players’ violation of league rules against playing in another tournament.

“Hindi nawala ang intensity ng laro ng mga bata. I’m happy na na-achieve namin itong four consecutive championship on our 400th year (The boys’ intensity never wavered after we won Game 1. We’re happy to achieve four consecutive championship on UST ‘s 400th anniversary),” said Tigers coach Emil Lontoc.

Ramos connected on a kill to cut the deficit to 22-23 in the third set, after which the Tams yielded two straight points with shots that went beyond the line. A reception error on the part of FEU with Ramos serving clinched it for UST, which hiked its trophy collection to 18 crowns overall.

Season MVP JP Torres and Henry Pecaña added 10 apiece in their last game with the Tigers.

Nestor Molate paced FEU with 10 markers.

MVP Torres also copped the Best Scorer and Best Spiker plums to lead the individual awardees.

FEU’s Pitrus de Ocampo (Best Setter and Best Server); National U’s Peter Torres (Rookie of the Year), Adamson’s Niño Jeruz (Best Blocker) and Gilbert Longevela (Best Digger); and UST’s Paul Jan Doloiras (Best Receiver) took the other accolades.

La Salle’s Jacqueline Alarca won Season MVP honors in the women’s side, stringing along the Best Spiker and Best Server plums.

UST star Aiza Maizo was Best Scorer and Best Receiver while DLSU’s Mika Esperanza was Rookie of the Year; DLSU’s Michelle Gumabao was Best Blocker; Ateneo’s Jem Ferrer was Best Setter; and NU’s Jen Reyes was Best Digger.