UST earns record third straight beach volley title

MANILA, Philippines — Santo Tomas’ sandcourt ace Sisi Rondina put the finishing touches on a stellar career in UAAP beach volleyball by leading the Tigresses to a perfect Season 81 and a historic three-peat yesterday at SM Sands by the Bay.

Unbeaten all tournament, the prolific Rondina and her rookie partner Babylove Barnon played true to form until the very end and capped it all with a masterful 21-7, 21-16 drubbing of La Salle’s Michelle Morente and Tin Tiamzon in the finals.

Actually unbeaten in their last 19 matches dating back to Season 79, the Tigresses earned the distinction of being the first team to win three-consecutive women’s titles.

It was the perfect ending for diminutive Cebuana Rondina, the four-time UAAP champ and four-time MVP who showed that one can overcome height disadvantage with heart and hardwork. 

“Nag-start ako parang alam ko sa sarili ko na wala pang napapatunayan kasi ganito lang, maliit lang ako. Pero by the time na nananalo kami, puwede pala. Bonus na itong MVP. Ang goal ko lang talaga manalo at makapagbigay karangalan sa UST,” said Rondina.

The undisputed queen of the sandcourt and top rookie Barbon extended UST’s reign without dropping a set. They swept the seven-game elims to go straight to the best-of-three championship, where they took the opener, 21-12, 21-19, before closing it out with another straight-set verdict in Game Two.

UST secured a golden double as the men’s team of Krung Arbasto and Jaron Requinton beat erstwhile unbeaten Far Eastern duo Jude Garcia and Richard Solis in two games.

Arbasto-Requinton snapped the Tams’ unblemished run with a 21-14, 21-16 win in Game One and went all the way to the diadem with a hard-earned 21-13, 22-24, 15-10 verdict in Game Two.

The Tigers collared their fourth men’s crown, tying National U’s league record.