MANILA – University of Santo Tomas showed its UAAP beach volleyball supremacy by taking home the Season 85 women’s and men’s championships on Tuesday at the Sands SM By The Bay in Pasay City.
The Golden Tigresses pair of Babylove Barbon and Gen Eslapor showed its might on National University Lady Bulldogs’ Kly Orillaneda and Negrense Honey Grace Cordero for a 21-15, win.
The Golden Tigresses made its presence felt early in the first set as they cruised to a 5-0 start before widening the advantage to 11-4 and 15-6 later in the set.
The Lady Bulldogs, however, showed some life as they threatened to within 14-19 late in the first frame but the Golden Tigresses calmly drilled back-to-back attacks to take the set.
The Lady Bulldogs showed some life in the second set as they opened up a 4-1 lead but the Golden Tigresses managed to tie the count at 7-all before NU surged ahead anew for a slim 11-10 edge.
UST then displayed its experience with consecutive points for a 16-13 lead. NU made its last push at 16-17 before the Golden Tigresses wrapped up the championship with four straight points.
The latest championship was the eighth for the Golden Tigresses in the UAAP women’s beach volleyball scene. They also did not lose a set this season and won 37 consecutive matches dating back from 2016.
The UST Tiger Spikers also stretched its UAAP men’s beach volleyball domination to five seasons following a 21-16, 21-14 straight set romp of NU Bulldogs in their one-game finale.
Jaron Requinton and Rancel Varga carried the fight for the Tiger Spikers as they jumped to an early lead in each sets before holding of Bulldogs pair James Buytrago and Pol Salvador.
Negrense Alyssa Bertolano and Euri Eslapor salvaged a bronze medal finish for University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons in women’s play after a 21-18, 12-21, 15-6 rout of De La Salle University Lady Spikers’ Jolina dela Cruz and Justine Jazareno.
Bacolodnon Jian Matthew Salarzon and Amil Pacinio of the Ateneo de Manila University Blue Eagles claimed the men’s beach volley bronze after a 24-22, 21-16 sweep of Far Eastern University Tamaraws’ Vincent Nadera and Jelord Talisayan./PN
