AFTER another bridesmaid finish in the last University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) tournament, the UST Lady Booters showed no trace of their loss against eventual champion De La Salle University, winning two titles during their pre-season build up.
Fresh from conquering the 1st Brent Invitational Football Tournament, the UST Lady Booters continued their winning run, annexing the Globe Gentxt Beach Football National Finals in Boracay last May 3.
The UST Lady Booters earned a trip to the National Finals after finishing runner-up to El Majestrado Football Club, composed mostly of former FEU players, in the Luzon Leg Eliminations in Subic last April 5. However, with the Luzon champion and the Mindanao teams failing to fly to Boracay, the UST Women’s Football Team encountered little resistance, breezing past their opponents from the Vizayas region.
Relying on Joyce Landagan’s offensive exploits, the UST Lady Booters creamed a hapless Barotac Nuevo team from Iloilo, 4-0, in their tournament opener. They settled for 1-all draw against St. La Salle-Bacolod (SLSB) in their next game.
SLSB subdued Barotac Nuevo in the other game to enter the finals against UST. In the title game, UST settled for another stand-off after regulation time with a 2-2 tally.
Boiling down to a shootout, the Lady Booters emerged victorious, 2-1, behind goals from Ruby Rose Martin and Jeanie Clariño.
Meanwhile, in the 1st Brent Invitational Football Tournament in Laguna last April 24-25, the UST Lady Booters swept its way to the crown.
Even the addition of some Ateneo and UP players to the Miriam College team did not work against UST as Landagan scored all the goals in a 2-0 assault for its first win. In their next game, up-and-coming sophomore forward Rona Desuyo added one of her own to Landagan’s two goals for a 3-0 victory over the Manila Football School. Landagan’s lone goal against the host team was enough to carry UST to the finals via its sweep of the eliminations.
Brent School earned another crack at UST in the finals by virtue of a 3-1 win-loss record, which was good for second place.
But the championship match was no different story as UST scored a 1-0 victory, this time leaning on Desuyo’s second goal in the tournament.
Last season’s rookie Diana Rose Redondo was adjudged the best goalkeeper of the tournament.
“Maganda itong ipinapakita ng mga bata pagkatapos ng talo sa UAAP Finals. Nakakadalawang titles na kaagad,” said a jubilant Asst. Women’s Football Coach Jade Bejemino. “Maganda ang kondisyon ngayon ni Joyce (Landagan) at nag-iimprove na rin si Rona (Desuyo) at si Diana (Redondo).”
