THE UST Salinggawi Dance Troupe pulled off a BLACKPINK-inspired routine and clinched bronze for the second straight year in the UAAP Season 86 cheerdance competition at the Mall of Asia Arena on Saturday.
Salinggawi accumulated a total of 684 points to secure their second straight podium finish, which came after a five-year medal drought.
UST topped the dance category with 374 points and placed second in the tosses category with 81.5 points. It was the third-best team in the pyramids and stunts categories with 83 and 79.5 points, respectively, while it placed fourth in the tumbling category with 81 points.
Unfortunately, Salinggawi incurred the most number of deductions with 15 points.
“That 15-point deduction is already out of the window,” UST head coach Mark Chaiwalla told the Varsitarian. “What matters is again they are safe and we were able to defend the podium. That’s more than what we’ve worked for.”
It was the same three schools from last year that completed the podium this season.
The FEU Cheering Squad, which had a Super Mario-inspired performance, dethroned the NU Pep Squad to claim their fourth UAAP title with 702.5 points. NU settled for silver with 697 points after paying tribute to Elvis Presley.
FEU, which finished silver last year, swept the special awards this season.
The Adamson Pep Squad (665 points) improved to fourth place with its routine inspired by the movie Trolls, while the UP Pep Squad (602 points) snagged the fifth place with an Eraserheads-inspired routine.
The UE Pep Squad with a 90’s anime theme (559 points), DLSU Animo Squad with a Latin music theme (555.5 points) and the Super Bowl-inspired Ateneo Blue Eagles (532 points) placed sixth to eighth, respectively.
“It’s been a tough journey and it never was an easy journey. Pero inilaban nila. Now, they were able to defend their place last year,” Chaiwalla said. with reports from John Peter L. Cajayon
