Tag: March 15

The UST squad produced 35 points with a 10-1-3 win-draw-loss card to overtake FEU’s 33.5 points and 8-3-3 slate.

IT WAS a victory 14 years in the making for the UST Male Woodpushers as they reclaimed the title by dethroning six-time champion Far Eastern University in the UAAP men’s chess tournament at the FEU Technology Auditorium last Feb. 17.

Trailing by two points at the end of the ninth round, the Woodpushers saw a ray of hope after the 11th round when they cut the FEU deficit to 0.5 on the twin victories of team captain Patrick Florendo and Steven James Dacanay in the 12th round.

FOR THE first time in 10 years, the UST Lady Spikers missed the UAAP Final Four after they were eliminated by first-time semi-finalists National University in a battle for the last final four slot, 19-25, 25-21, 16-25, 23-25, at The Arena in San Juan last Feb. 20.

A perennial powerhouse in women’s volleyball with 14 championships under its belt, UST held the longest streak of Final Four appearances with 10.

“Malaki talaga yung naging problema sa reception. We had abysmal receiving,” said coach Odjie Mamon, whose wards finished with an 8-7 win-loss card to settle at fifth place.

BLAMING “lack of communication” among them, defending champions UST Lady Booters crashed out of the UAAP Finals following a 0-1 loss against the Far Eastern University (FEU) to finish at third place during their match at the Erenchun Field in Ateneo de Manila University last Feb. 10.

FEU’s Barbara Sobredo scored the lone goal of the game to deal UST its third loss in eight games.

“Communication on the feeling was really the problem. Just five minutes into the game, there was already shouting,” UST team captain Nikki Regalado admitted.

The Lady Booters capped the season with 11 points on a 3-2-3 win-draw-loss card.

WITH pitcher Mallows Garde sitting out the first three innings due to hand injury, the UST Softbelles failed to secure the last finals slot and succumbed to a more-composed National University (NU), 3-5, in their UAAP softball semifinals match at the Rizal Memorial Stadium last Feb. 17.

NU went up early win a run on Coleen Alilin’s solid centerfield hit at the top of the second inning. It was followed by two more runs, one from Whell Gene Nietes, in the succeeding frame.

But the Softbelles snatched the momentum at the bottom of the third inning as they scored two homeruns, the other one from Sundae Alipato, to trim the lead to one.

Garde finally entered the game in the uneventful fourth frame after NU had already erected a 2-3 advantage.

FOR THE three outgoing members of the UST Golden Sox, legacy was made each hard-fought game.

“Every inning na pinupukol ko, na nagpi-pitch ako, kasama na sa history ko ‘yun. Masarap sa pakiramdam, lalo na kapag pinapatapos ako ni coach ng game, nine innings straight, proud na ‘ko sa sarili ko ‘pag ganun,” team captain and number one pitcher Irvin Tuazon said.

Along with Tuazon, co-captain and catcher Nikko Reyes and third base man Gerard Mitra have all played their final game for the senior baseball squad. It was not the conclusion they had been hoping for: a heartbreaking loss to defending champion National University, 7-12, in their knockout match for the last finals slot last Feb. 10.

REIGNING champion UST Golden Sox demolished the twin towers of UAAP baseball in their last two games to sweep the tournament at the Rizal Memorial Baseball Park.

UST crushed last year’s runner-up National University (NU), 6-5, last January 27 after escaping past defending “three-peat” champions Adamson University, 4-3, last January 20 to finally stop its six-year championship dry spell.

“We worked hard and this is the result. I told them to think as if it were just an ordinary game so that they won’t get pressured,” coach Jeffrey Santiago said. “I also told them not to be overconfident.”

The Golden Sox took over the game with a series of runs after the fourth inning. They were then trailing NU, 0-2.

THE UST WOODPUSHERS concluded their conquest in the UAAP with a pair of runner-up finishes in the men’s and women’s divisions at the Far Eastern University (FEU) East-Asia College Building last February 20.

The Male Woodpushers totaled 36.5 points, while the Lady Woodpushers finished with 37.5 markers in 14 rounds of the tournament, an improvement from last season’s lowly 19-point output.

UST coach and International Master Ronald Dableo said the teams’ rigorous practice, discipline, and talent carried them up to a better performance this season.

“They had been training well. And their talents really paid off,” he said.

THE FEMALE Tracksters again settled for a runner-up finish next to Far Eastern University, which seized its eight straight title in the UAAP meet.

The women’s team landed in the same spot for the sixth consecutive season after a 6-7-9 gold-silver-bronze medal output during the Season 73 track and field competition from January 26 to 31 at the PhilSports Complex in Pasig.

The Male Tracksters improved on their fourth-place finish last season by placing third this year with three gold medals, four silver, and three bronze.
The Female Tracksters scored a total of 252 points behind FEU’s 330. The University of the East (UE) was third with 102 points.

ONE TEAM celebrated its triumph while the other languished in defeat.

The UST Male Tennisters seized back-to-back titles via a 3-2 classic against rival De La Salle University in Game 2 of their best-of-three championship series. But their female counterparts finished the season at the opposite end, landing at the bottom of the standings.

The championship was a fitting send-off for coach Karl Santamaria, who was set to end his stint with UST. After the final UAAP game on February 19, he was scheduled to fly to Sri Lanka for the World Junior Championships.

“It had to be the best (because) I have to tell you that this is my last (year with UST),” said a tearful Santamaria, who led the Male Tennisters to seven titles in the last 10 years.

THE UST Lady Booters waltzed their way to a do-or-die game but stumbled in the end against the Far Eastern University (FEU), 1-0, in Game 3 of the UAAP women’s football finals at the Ateneo de Manila University Erenchun Field last March 6.>

Small but terrible Frea Fado played big for FEU as she struck the winning goal in the 16th minute from a Sharmaigne Saluria assist, scraping past keeper Zipporah Luna. UST played without Nikki Regalado, while FEU missed the services of Jayneth Mercado, who were both ejected from the match in Game 2.>

“It was not really meant for us,” said coach Rozano Estrabon, who led UST to its first-ever championship in 2009 during his coaching debut for the women’s squad.>