Tag: September 30

WILL Ateneo notch a fifth straight title or will it be a repeat of the outcome of the 2006 Finals?

The stage is set for another compelling showdown between the defending champions Blue Eagles and the UST Growling Tigers, as they disposed of separate foes in the Final 4 of the UAAP senior’s basketball competition.

The Tigers edged a young National University squad, while the Blue Eagles erased an 11-point lead heading into the fourth quarter to survive the De La Salle Green Archers. Thus, the Ateneo-UST encounter, a repeat of the 2006 Finals won in Cinderella fashion by the Tigers.

RECLAIMING lost glory will have to wait another year.

For the second consecutive year, the UST Salinggawi Dance Troupe (SDT) failed to at least land in the Top 3 of the UAAP Cheerdance Competition and instead settled for fourth place at the packed Mall of Asia Arena last Sept. 22.

The group’s Rio carnival-inspired routine was not good enough in a field by the University of the Philippines Pep Squad, which equaled UST’s record eight cheerdance titles. Far Eastern University grabbed the second spot while the National University made history by entering the Top 4 for the first time.

Despite the debacle, SDT president Dan Dimaculangan commended the squad for what he described as its “best run” and for a performance “with the most energy.”

THE UST Tigresses absorbed a 54-74 beating against a relentless Ateneo de Manila University Lady Eagles to end their UAAP women’s basketball campaign at The Arena in San Juan last Sept. 16.

Maica Cortes steered UST with 17 markers and 17 rebounds, but shot a measly 5-of-16 from the field en route to UST’s sixth-place finish. Sarah Mercado paced the Lady Eagles with 18 points and seven boards.

Kim Reyes and Lore Rivera unloaded back-to-back baskets in the third canto to bring UST to within six, 35-41, with 2:29 left. But Ateneo’s Marie Aseron and Angelica Morales combined for seven straight points to close the quarter at 53-41 and shut the Tigresses’ comeback hopes.

THE UST Male Paddlers took a step closer toward a historic fourth consecutive table tennis title as they swept the first elimination round of the UAAP Season 68 Table Tennis tournament last Sept. 24-25 at the UST Gym.

UST disposed of the tough opposition on the first day, displaying its championship mettle against perennial contender De La Salle University (La Salle) in a tough 3-2 conquest. UST then trounced University of the Philippines (UP) and Far Eastern University (FEU) in 3-1 decisions, before sweeping Adamson University (Adamson).

THEY made this season’s finest moves.

The UST Lady Woodpushers bagged the UAAP Season 68 Chess Championship, capturing their first title since the women’s division was introduced in the league in 2001.

The UST Female Chessers concluded the tournament with 33 points. Pre-season favorite De La Salle University settled for a runner-up finish with 30.5 points, while defending champion University of the Philippines was relegated to third place with 30 points.

THE UST Golden Booters have lost all chances of earning a semis berth in the Ang Liga Football Cup.

After a mediocre first-round showing, Coach Nonnoy Carpio’s wards are not doing any better in the second round, dropping three games and settling for a draw in their most recent match.

The former Ang Liga bridesmaids settled for a 2-2 draw against the Nationals last Sept. 23 at the UST Football Field.

The Golden Booters, led by Thomas Liao and Joubert Bernarte, gave the RP team a run for their money.

FACULTY members proved that their expertise extends beyond the confines of the classroom when they showcased their athletic abilities in the sixth UST Faculty Union (USTFU) Sports fest that concluded last Sept. 25.

The annual competition saw previous winners reasserting dominance in their respective sports.

The IPEA team captured its second volleyball championship against the Faculty of Arts and Letters, College of Commerce, and College of Accountancy squad last Sept. 23 at the Engineering Sports Complex.

OPTING to go traditional, the Salinggawi Dance Troupe (SDT) remained in championship hiatus, finishing behind reigning titlist University of the Philippines (UP) Pep Squad for the second straight year in the 2008 UAAP Samsung Cheerdance competition last Sept. 7.

FIFTH place no more.

Learning from past mistakes, the UST Male Woodpushers finally barged into the medal column after being denied a space on the podium the last two years.

Bouyed by a 33.5-point aggregate at the end of the UAAP chess tournament last Sept. 21 at the UST Tan Yan Kee Student Center auditorium, the Male Woodpushers posted a remarkable bridesmaid finish amid a last-game officiating controversy that nearly relegated them to third place in lieu of Adamson University, which filed a protest after repulsing the black-gold-white crew, 1.5-2.5.

Far Eastern University (FEU) ruled the UAAP boards with 36 points while third-placer Adamson finished 0.5 points short of overtaking the second-seeded UST.

Adamson rued an error in judgment by the arbiter, who recognized a draw in favor of UST board 4 bet Jude Fronda despite the San Marcelino-based woodpusher Tristan Soriano’s winning position.