The UST Junior Golden Tigresses captured the 2026 Shakey’s Super League National Invitationals championship after outlasting St. John’s Institute-Bacolod in a thrilling five-set final, 25-19, 25-23, 23-25, 18-25, 19-17, on Saturday, July 18, at the FilOil Centre.
The title completed an unbeaten tournament run for UST, which went undefeated from the preliminary round through the championship match while dropping just three sets, including two in the finals.
The championship capped the Junior Golden Tigresses’ first tournament since bolstering their roster with a major recruiting class following the graduation of several key players from last season.
“Proud kami sa performance ng mga bata,” UST assistant coach Yani Fernandez told the Varsitarian. “Walang imposible, basta kailangan maniwala lang sa isa’t isa, magtulungan sa puntos.”
The Junior Golden Tigresses faced an early test in the opening set after the match was tied at 15-all.
Mary Nicole Pelaez then scored three straight points to spark a 10-4 closing run and give UST the opening set, 25-19.
UST carried that momentum into the second set, racing to a 7-3 lead behind four combined attacks from Pelaez and Jyrah Romais. St. John’s responded with consecutive service aces from Annelli Sophia Manzanillo to stay within striking distance, but Romais sealed the set with a block, 25-23, for a commanding two-set lead.
St. John’s refused to back down in the third set as Edz Escultura scored four early points to give her team a narrow 16-15 advantage. Both teams committed eight errors in the frame before Caera Celis strung together three straight attacks to secure a 25-23 victory and extend the match.
Celis also led St. John’s in a dominant 16-8 run in the fourth set. The two teams traded points late before another Celis attack sealed a 25-18 win, forcing a deciding fifth set.
The deciding set lived up to expectations as Kristel Mirasol and Pelaez traded attacks with the teams deadlocked at 12-all.
UST capitalized on St. John’s errors in the closing stretch to escape with a 19-17 victory.
Pelaez led the Junior Golden Tigresses with 27 points on 24 attacks, two blocks and one ace, while Romais and Manzanillo added 17 and 14 points, respectively.
Pelaez was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player, while Manzanillo and Andreaj Tan Chun Bing earned the Best Middle Blocker and Best Setter awards, respectively.
Celis finished with a game-high 28 points for St. John’s Institute-Bacolod. Charles Martin A. Manalang
