Photo by UAAP
NATIONAL University Nazareth School annexed its first-ever UAAP high school girls beach volleyball crown as Vilmarie Toos and Faith Mangyao downed University of Santo Tomas' Cheng Dadang and Angelica Del Mar, 18-21, 21-10, 15-8, yesterday at Sands SM By The Bay.
The Tiger Sands were poised for a three-peat after winning the opener but the Bullpups pulled off a reverse sweep after dominating the next two to complete a seven-match sweep of the season.
Tournament MVP Toos and Mangyao duplicated the feat of NU's women's team, which also won its first UAAP championship at the expense of UST in a three-set thriller last November.
The Bullpups also defeated the Tiger Sands in the eliminations.
UST took its first boys title as JM Lagaran and Lance Malinao outlasted NUNS' Wayne Dionela and Kian Tan, 21-14, 13-21, 16-14, to finish unbeaten in nine matches.
Season MVP Lagaran and Malinao showed no quit as the Tiger Sands rallied from a 8-12 hole in the deciding third set to frustrate the Bullpups bid for a second straight crown.
Adamson claimed its second straight bronze medal as Ella Gonzalvo and Meagan Pineda swept Far Eastern University-Diliman's Sheena Cafe and Aleah Devosora, 21-17, 21-12.
With the Baby Falcons leading 11-5 in the second set, Devosora replaced Sheila Pascual but the Baby Tamaraws fell short in achieving a podium finish.
FEU-D bagged third place in the boys side as Zedrick Calimlim and Tyler Ramos outlasted Adamson's Brice Malinao and Gian Ygot, 22-20, 19-21, 15-13. The Baby Tamaraws avenged their reverse sweep loss to the Baby Falcons in the eliminations.
In the girls Final Four, NUNS' Toos and Mangyao dominated Adamson's Gonzalvo and Pineda, 21-9, 21-15, while UST's Dadang and Del Mar needed three sets to prevail over FEU-D's Cafe and Pascual, 21-17, 16-21, 15-6.
UST's Lagaran and Malinao bested FEU-D's Calimlim and Sam Coronel, 21-7, 21-12, to arrange a boys title duel with NUNS' Dionela and Tan, a 21-12, 21-16 winner over Adamson's Malinao and Ygot in the other semifinal.
