WILL 13 prove to be a lucky number for the España army?
UST is ahead of the pack after the first semester of UAAP hostilities. But with only 13 points separating the Tigers and the De La Salle Green Archers in the overall standings, complacency could cost UST a 13th consecutive general championship.
The Tigers have collected a total of 154 points by virtue of their 4-4-2 gold-silver-bronze haul, which was better than the medal collection last season. The Archers are in second with 141 points, followed by the Far Eastern University and the University of the Philippines, which are tied for third with 111 markers apiece.
“They gave their best in every sport they played but if the gold wasn’t really for you, then it was not for you. said UST athletics moderator Rodrigo Sambuang. “Like in the men’s beach volleyball, they pushed really hard to make it to the championship match, but in the end, it was just not for them.”
Further complicating UST’s bid to keep its overall crown was its failure to defend its title in both the men’s beach volleyball and men’s taekwondo competitions.
On the bright side, the Male Shuttlers successfully defended their crown for a well-deserved back-to-back championship. As an icing in the cake, rookie Ariel Magnaye and sophomore Benjude Cajefe took home the Most Valuable and Most Improved Player awards, respectively.
The Lady Jins regained the title and ended La Salle’s six-year dominance of the women’s taekwondo competition. Lady Jin Camille Manalo bagged the MVP trophy. Similarly, the Lady Judokas shut the doors on UP’s dream of a back-to-back championship.
MVP Cristian Vicente led the Tiger Paddlers in reclaiming the title.
“Based on the tally, we’re leading, but it is hard to predict the final outcome because the other teams have improved their performances in the different sporting events,” said Sambuang. “The points are evenly distributed among the teams, so we can’t really give our final say as of the moment.”
Contrasting Fates
As the Tiger Paddlers claimed the championship glory, their female counterparts fell to third place from last year’s bridesmaid finish after losing to perennial rival FEU.
In badminton, the Lady Shuttlers settled for fourth, which was a bit of an improvement after they were ousted from the Final Four for the first time last season.
In taekwondo, the Tiger Jins lost the title, partly due to the absence of Season 72 Athlete of the Year and MVP Marlon Avenido.
In beach volleyball and swimming, the men’s team chalked up a second-place finish while their female counterparts came in fourth.
The Tiger Spikers were denied a three-peat as the tandem of Harby Ilano and Henry Pecaña lost to FEU’s Nestor Molate and Arvin Avila in their championship match. The Lady Spikers suffered another title hibernation as they once again settled for fourth place.
A similar scenario was seen on the pool wars as the Female Tigersharks placed fourth for the second straight season. Their male counterparts moved up a notch from third to a runner-up finish this season.
Team captain Miguel Carandang accounted for five out of 12 events won by UST, contributing two gold medals, two silvers and one bronze. The male swimmers tallied 194 points, only seven points shy of UP’s 201.
In the hoop wars, the Tigresses improved to third from last season’s dismal fourth in losing to reigning “three-peat” champions Adamson University Lady Falcons. The Growling Tigers fared miserably by winning only four out of their 14 games. They ended the season at seventh place.
The challenge now rests on the shoulders of the rest of the Tiger squads. Expected to push UST’s title-retention bid in the second semester are the varsity teams in athletics, baseball, chess, fencing, football, lawn tennis, softball, and volleyball. Frauleine Michelle S. Villanueva and Angelo Nonato Cabrera
