THE UST Lady Spikers captured their second consecutive UAAP beach volleyball title after thrashing the Adamson University, 2-0, in their best-of-three championship series at the University of the East-Caloocan last Sept. 8.
The duo of Season 75 Most Valuable Player Maruja Banaticla and last year’s MVP Judy Caballejo made quick work of Lady Falcons Shiela Pineda and Pau Soriano in Game Two, 19-21, 21-17, 15-10.
The Lady Spikers, who held a thrice-to-beat advantage after sweeping the elimination round, were unstoppable in the third set with well-placed drop shots that kept them ahead, 6-1.
But the Lady Falcons fought back and cut the lead to three, 9-12.
Championship experience paid off as the Lady Spikers displayed a firm floor defense down the stretch to contain Adamson’s kills that led to the game’s championship point, 14-10.
Caballejo, who played her fifth and final year for UST, scored a service ace to finish the title match.
“I expected them [to sweep all the games] because they really have the skills and the mental toughness,” said coach Emil Lontoc, who won the first Best Coach Award in the tournament.
Stunned in the first frame of Game Two, the Lady Spikers adjusted with precise placement shots to stay within striking distance and claim the second set, 21-17.
Down by five in the opening frame, the Lady Falcons climbed back behind Soriano’s efforts to give her team a two-point lead, 21-19.
UST earlier stunned Adamson in Game One, 23-25, 21-16, 15-12.
Tiger Spikers Salvador Juan Depante and Mark Carlo Pangan were not as glorious as their female counterparts after absorbing their sixth setback at the hands of runner-up Far Eastern University (FEU) Tamaraws, 17-21, 14-21, last Sept. 5.
It was UST’s worst record in five years.
The Tiger Spikers could not keep up with FEU’s relentless kills and down-the-line hits, finishing the season at the bottom of the standings, 1-6.
The Tiger Spikers earlier suffered back-to-back defeats against Ateneo de Manila University, 21-23, 14-21, and De La Salle University, 11-21, 21-23.
“We weren’t able to prepare well because we didn’t have much time because of problems about the line-up,” Lontoc said.
