THE UST Junior Tiger Sands took home gold and silver medals in the beach volleyball tournament of the 25th Philippine University Games (UniGames) at the Dipolog City Complex in Zamboanga del Norte on Friday, Jan. 26.
The Junior Tiger Sands duo of Khylem Progella and Cameron Villaluz steamrolled University of Philippines Diliman, 21-11, 21-14, en route to a three-peat in the tournament.
UST won the 2018 and 2019 editions of the tournament with rosters that featured UAAP Most Valuable Players in Babylove Barbon (Seasons 82 and 85) and Genesa Eslapor (Season 86), as well as Tiger Sands Derie Virtusio and Merry Rose Jauculan.
Head coach Paul Doloiras said that the tournament served as good exposure and preparation for the Junior Tiger Sands for the upcoming UAAP Season 86 high school beach volleyball tournament slated for the second semester.
“Usually ang goal talaga is ma-expose ‘yung mga bata going into the UAAP. Wala pa kasing liga ‘yung high school kaya pinalaro namin sila kahit mga senior high pa lang sila,” Doloiras told the Varsitarian. “Bonus na lang ‘yung champion. Masaya kami kasi talgang binigay nila ‘yung best nila sa game.”
In the men’s division, UST returned to the podium after Lance Malinao and Michael Lagaran settled for silver in the finals match against the University of San Agustin, 13-21, 16-21.
UST last won in 2018, as the duo of two-time MVP Rancel Varga and Efraem dimaculangan triumphed over Rizal Technical University in the finals.
“Last time mga college ginamit namin. Ngayon lang kami gumamit ng senior high kaya super happy kami sa performance nila…’yung men’s, mga bagong recruit pa lang, ilang buwan pa lang nageensayo kaya happy kami na nag silver sila,” the coach said.
The men’s and women’s teams both finished second with identical 3-1 win-loss records in their respective pools.
This year saw the return of the annual UniGames after the Covid-19 pandemic put the tournament on hold from 2020. In the beach volleyball tournament, 11 and 12 teams competed in the men’s and women’s divisions, respectively.
Thirty-three schools across the country participated in the week-long sports event, which was held from January 20 to 27, sending over 1,200 athletes to Dipolog City. UST sent its athletes, who only competed in the beach volleyball tournament.
