Tag: December 16

UST ATHLETES often show a tough facade when it comes to fighting for their cause in the sporting arena.

But come Christmas time, these black-gold-white warriors are no different from any other individual, hoping to have their wishes fulfilled

In line with the holiday spirit, the Varsitarian asked what Thomasian athletes wanted to receive this christmas, apart from bringing pride and glory to their school.

“I wish my team will be complete in time for UAAP this coming February.” -Luville Dato-on, Female Tracksters team captain

“To play together with teamwork.” -Janine Ong, Tigresses

“I want to be with my family in Rizal.” -Ana Paghubasan, Softbelles Season 71 Rookie of the Year

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.”

PLAYING without their ace striker, the UST Golden Booters relied on teamwork to trounce the University of the East (UE) Red Booters, 2-1, in the Ang Liga Football Cup last December 5 at the UST open field.

Louie Rodriguez picked up the slack for UST, which lost OJ Clariño to a partial anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury that will likely sideline him until the start of UAAP hostilities.

“We need two more practice games before the UAAP and hopefully Clariño would recover from his partial ACL injury,” coach Marjo Allado said.

Taking advantage of their home court, the Golden Booters broke the ice early when Rodriguez scored a dagger at the 10th minute of the game.

But after several failed attempts and crosses, UE’s Fitch Arboleda evened the match at one-apiece at the 44th minute via a penalty kick that penetrated UST goalkeeper Lee Johnson’s defense.

THE FACULTY of Arts and Letters and the College of Commerce settled with a draw at two points apiece in their Thomasian Goodwill Men’s Football Games match at the UST open field last December 9.

Commerce led early courtesy of Joseph Masinsin’s goal just 13 minutes into the game to take a 1-0 lead.

Artlets’ John Asiddao broke a 30-minute scoring drought with a goal in the 60th minute, followed by another one by teammate Hadi Rushdy two minutes later. Suddenly, the Artlets squad was up, 2-1.

After a series of crucial substitutions, Commerce team captain Johanne Sibug capitalized on the absence of Artlets’ key starters, scoring on the last 15 minutes to level the match at 2-all.

“Commerce could have won but (the players) relaxed,” said Commerce coach and Golden Booter Christian de Juan, who led the team to a 2-1 victory in their previous game against the College of Nursing last December 3.

THE UST Tigresses-Team B retained their crown in the Milo BEST Women’s Basketball League after a 42-31 victory against San Beda College-Alabang last Nov. 27 at the Ateneo de Manila University (AdMU) gymnasium.

Chipping in consistent numbers for the España-based cagebelles were gunners Laarni Rosero and Irene Lacaba. Point guard Zhairmaine Jenco powered up the backcourt, while center Fatima Villanueva drew on her defensive arsenal, allowing the Tigresses to escape with the title.

In the semifinals, the Julie Amos-coached Tigresses routed host AdMU, 52-38.

Athletic Karate Alliance (USTAKA) duo of Juby Ruiz and Alma Cabasal delivered sterling performances in the 2nd Westin Philippine Plaza Martial Arts Tournament last Nov. 14.

USTAKA president Ruiz dominated the 17-18 girls kata (forms) class, besting opponents that included teammate Cabasal, who finished second. On the other hand, Cabasal topped the 17-18 girls kumite (sparring) category, followed by Gilda Paola Fernandez of Nobilé Philippines Karate Club in second, and Ruiz in third.

One needs to think more than twice before messing around with shooter Jethro Dionisio. With six world championship titles under his belt, Jethro has surely made it clear that his name is not something to be scoffed at.

At 14, when boys of his age kept themselves busy by burning their fingers playing computer games, Dionisio opted to fire guns at the shooting range instead.

MAKE no mistake about it. They are out to defend their crown.

The UST Lady Spikers proved why they are the inaugural season’s champs as they they swept their first two outings in the Shakey’s V-League second conference, which kicked off last Nov. 28.

Team Captain Roxanne Pimentel delivered a sterling performance in their 25-17, 25-16, 25-20, rout of the Letran College Lady Knights last Dec. 5.

THE UST Male Tennisters finally broke their pre-season jinx at the expense of UAAP rival De La Salle University as they swept their way into the Inter-Collegiate title of the 2007 PCA Open tennis championship.

In a rematch between last year’s finalists, the España-based tennisters whipped La Salle, 3-0, to capture the men’s team diadem last November 11 at the PCA covered courts. In contrast, the Lady Tennisters bowed to their La Salle counterparts and settled for another bridesmaid finish.

Buoyed by their 10-5 shellacking of La Salle in the first set, the Season 69 champions pressed on the attack further as the hard-hitting tandem of Ryan Repunte and Kean Barraquias ruled the second set to virtually seal the deal for the Male Tennisters.

Rifling fiery volleys and well-placed shots, the Taft-based tennisters jumped out of the gates early on for a 2-5 advantage. But UST hardly stuttered, taking six straight games to take a comfortable 8-5 lead.

USED to polishing their stripes in local and international jousts, the black-gold-and-white army found little or no trouble in conquering the region’s sporting horizon as they lit up the Philippines’ medal chart once more in the 24th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games held last December 6 to 16 at Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand.

Twenty-nine Thomasian hopefuls, bannered by 2008 Beijing Olympics qualifier Tshomlee Go, world bowling champion Biboy Rivera, lady poolshark Rubilen Amit, and UAAP MVP Jervy Cruz, took part in 13 out of 44 events, where the country plucked 41 golds, 91 silvers, and 96 bronzes to cap the 11-nation biennial sports spectacle at sixth place in the overall medal standings.

The Thomasian athletes locked horns with the neighboring countries’ finest crop in athletics, badminton, baseball, basketball, billiards, bowling, football, fencing, judo, softball, table tennis, taekwondo, and wushu.