THEIR brilliant performance in off-season stints could only spell a bright future ahead for the UST Booters, come UAAP time.
After trumping De La Salle University in the University Games (UniGames) in Iloilo City, the UST Lady Booters slapped another heartbreaker on the Taft-based squad, 2-1, in the championship match of the Metro Manila Girls Football Association (MMGFA) last December 13, at the De La Salle Zobel football field.
Most Valuable Player Priscilla Rubio broke a 1-all deadlock through a vital corner kick with barely a minute left in the game, ultimately extending the Lady Booters’ reign as the defending champions. Last year, UST faced off with the same foe, with the same championship pride at stake.
“Good thing about the team is that there’s open communication,” UST Lady Booters coach Rozano Estrabon said. “The players listen to me and I listen to them.”
The tough defense of La Salle collapsed early on when UST’s Marianne Narciso penetrated the opponent’s goal in the third minute.
In the 39th minute, however, UST’s lone goal was erased by La Salle’s Joanne Del Rosario after shooting the ball from the corner.
“The mid-fielders seemed to be out of focus, they did not fight,” Estrabon said.
The succeeding minutes were riddled with failed attempts from both ends to score until Rubio fired her winning shot.
Before going to the finals match, the Lady Booters underlined their prowess after dealing a 2-0 whitewashing of a much more experienced Alabang Greens squad composed of former UAAP stars.
Coach Estrabon said his wards were in a hurry during that game, losing control of the ball most of the time. But Mary Ignacio’s successful shot off Joma Clemente’s pass at the 45th minute awakened the Booters. Clemente also scored in the 71st minute, padding the team from the Alabang Greens.
In the eliminations match, UST suffered its lone draw from La Salle, 2-all, with goals from Gab Mercado and Mae Salmon.
