THE UST Salinggawi Dance Troupe failed to reach the podium for the second straight year and settled for fourth place anew in the UAAP Season 82 cheerdance competition at the Mall of Asia Arena Sunday.
This year’s UAAP cheerdance competition ranking was exactly the same as last year’s.
The National University Pep Squad defended its title, garnering 722 points with its Filipino pride-themed performance.
The Far Eastern University Cheering Squad landed second with its Michael Jackson-inspired routine, which scored 706 points.
The Adamson University Pep Squad completed the top three with its Caribbean-themed performance, which tallied 658.5 markers.
Salinggawi scored 650 points with its fantasy-themed routine, 8.5 points away from third place Adamson.
“We did not lose anything. We were fourth last year and we maintained it this year. Andun ‘yong feeling ng sayang but I told them na we did not fail to give our best and we still made the Thomasian community proud,” Salinggawi head coach Mark Chaiwalla said.
UST had the most penalties, which led to a 13-point deduction.
UST landed third in dance with 349 points, fourth in pyramids with 780 points and fifth in tosses, tumbling and stunts with 82 points, 75.5 points, 66 points, respectively.
The University of the East Pep Squad retained the fifth spot after earning 645 points, while the University of the Philippines Pep Squad finished sixth with 568.5 points.
The Ateneo de Manila Blue Babble Battalion landed seventh with 593 points, followed by the De La Salle University Animo Squad, which registered 577.5 markers to place eighth.
NU also defended its group stunts title. FEU and Adamson were first and second runners-up, respectively.
UST is still tied witb UP as the winningest team in UAAP cheerdance with eight championships.
Salinggawi’s last UAAP championship was in 2006.
This year’s routine of Salinggawi was choreographed by coaches Mark Anthony Chaiwalla and Robert Stephen Biadoma.
