Lady Spikers regain title, Tigers Spikers second anew

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SUPER rookies Rica Jane Rivera and Cherry Ann Rondina capped their maiden season by capturing the UAAP women’s beach volleyball crown.

But the Tiger Spikers suffered another heartbreaking defeat at the hands of National University in Game 3 of the men’s beach volleyball tournament at the University of the East-Caloocan sand court last Sept. 7.

The Lady Spikers won their second title in three years after sweeping De La Salle University in the rubber match, 21-15, 21-11.

Rivera and Rondina bucked a slow start and got their game going in the second set when they posted several 10-point leads on their way to an easy Game 3 win.

With the Lady Spikers at championship point, 20-10, Rivera and La Salle’s Kim Fajardo exchanged service errors, giving UST its third beach volleyball title overall.

“Fast learner sila. Pagdating sa ball training, doon sila lumalamang sa mga kalaban at the same time ‘yung ball quickness,” said returning beach volleyball head coach Emil Lontoc.

The two Cebuanas dominated the tournament and dropped only three sets, one against Adamson University in the eliminations and two against La Salle in the finals.

They also swept the individual awards as Rondina was crowned Most Valuable Player while Rivera was named Rookie of the Year.

“Malaking achievement kasi Rookie of the Year [ako], pero mas masaya na nag-champion kami, na nakuha namin ‘yung title [even] as rookies,” Rivera said.

In the men’s division, the Tiger Spikers lost a winner-take-all Game 3 to NU, 21-19, 18-21, 15-17.

The Tiger Spikers failed to avenge their Season 76 defeat and had to settle for second place anew while the Bulldogs complete a historic three-peat.

Both squads pushed each other to the limit with the deciding set highlighted by 10 deadlocks, the last one at 15 points apiece.

In the end, Edwin Tolentino and Josephenry Pipay each connected for NU to seal another title for the Bulldogs, 17-15.

Coach Lontoc remained positive even after NU took another title at the expense of his Tiger Spikers.

“Masaya pa rin [ako]. Mag-aral na lang tayo sa pagkukulang natin at ‘yung tama, itama pa natin ng todo,” he said.

The Bulldogs arrived at championship point first after a quick hit from Tolentino, 12-14, before the duo of Guzman and Mark Alfafara, the reigning Philippine National Games champions, came alive and forced a deuce at 14-all.

Tolentino answered back for NU, 14-15, but Guzman kept the Tiger Spikers alive with a down-the-line smash, 15-all.

In the first set, UST went on a quick 5-0 run to steal the victory and take an early 1-0 lead, 21-19.

Veteran spiker Alfafara, who played his last UAAP game on the sand court, had mixed emotions on ending his collegiate career with another second-place finish.

“Masakit kasi ayoko namang um-exit ng hindi champion pero para sa akin great season pa rin ‘to. Hindi naman kami lugi sa season na ‘to,” said Alfafara, who will graduate after this season. “Hindi man kami ‘yung nasa pinakataas, lumaban pa rin kami.”

NU’s Pipay was crowned Most Valuable Player in the men’s division, while Edward Camposano of UE was named Rookie of the Year.

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