NO CROWN for the UST Spikers this year.
After sweeping the elimination round last year en route to the championship, the Lady Spikers crashed to fifth place while the Tiger Spikers settled for another silver-medal finish in the UAAP Season 78 beach volley tournament at the Sands SM by the Bay from Oct. 9 to 21.
The duo of Cherry Rondina and Rica Rivera, who recorded a 7-0 sweep in their rookie season last year, came up with only four wins in seven outings.
Rondina and Rivera had the chance to book a Final Four seat with a twice-to-beat incentive but De La Salle University’s tandem of Kim Fajardo, this year’s Most Valuable Player (MVP), and Cyd Demicillo erased UST’s championship hopes, 21-19, 20-22, 14-16.
“Unexpected. May goal kami at hindi namin nakuha ‘yung goal namin. Pero in-accept na lang kasi alam namin nabinigay naman namin ‘yung todo-todo,” Lady Spikers captain Rondina told the Varsitarian.
Rondina, last year’s MVP, admitted that the team failed to listen and respond to their coaches’ instructions, resulting in Lady Spikers’ worst finish in the last five years.
Ateneo de Manila University’s thrice-to-beat advantage in the finals match was too much for Tiger Spikers as the duo Kris Roy Guzman and Anthony Arbasto Jr. ran out of steam in their do-or-die Game 4.
The Tiger Spikers got a 16-21, 19-21 beating at the hands of the Blue Eagles in Game 4 of the finals.
The Tiger Spikers tied the game in the second frame, 18-all, before Ateneo erupted with a 3-1 blitz to snare the beach volleyball title. Ysay Marasigan delivered the finishing blow after a through-the-block hit.
UST tasted an early lead in the first canto, 6-4, but the Blue Eagles unleashed a 10-2 run to build a comfortable 14-8 cushion and pull away.
Arbasto Jr. led the charge for UST with a game-high 15 points while captain Guzman added nine markers.
The Tiger Spikers finished third in the elimination round but outlasted the National University Bulldogs twice in the step-ladder semifinals to go to the finals.
“[It was a] long ride. Pero sayang ‘yung pagod na inakyatnatin ‘yung ladder. Nagkulang [kami] sa focus. Naging komportable kami before [Game 4] kasi may nag-cramps na sa kanila, which is mali. Matagal kami bago naka-recover. Naka-recover kami noong second set pero kapos pa,” Guzman said.
In Game 3, the Tiger Spikers easily brushed off Ateneo in straight sets, 21-14, 21-16, to force a knockout Game 4.The Tiger Spikers held to a slim lead late in the final set, 19-16, before Ateneo committed back-to-back errors to give UST the win.
The Blue Eagles survived UST in a three-set thriller Game 2, 21-19, 15-21, 12-15, after UST drew first blood with a 21-13, 21-17 victory.
