AdU
UST makes history with first-ever UAAP Beach Volleyball event sweep
University of Santo Tomas made history in the UAAP sand court.
The Tiger Sands completed an event sweep in UAAP Season 88, capturing both the high school girls’ and boys’ titles.
In the girls’ division, the duo of Cheng Dadang and Angelica Del Mar denied Adamson University a breakthrough championship with a thrilling 24-22, 12-21, 15-13 victory.
On the boys’ side, JP Apidian and Karl Escobar secured a tournament sweep after defeating National University Nazareth School standouts Kian Tan and Ethan Jadraque, 22-20, 21-18, Sunday at SM Sands by the Bay.
UST had already stamped its dominance in the sand last November, when the men’s pair of Alche Gupiteo and Dom Gabito and the women’s tandem of Sofiah Pagara and Khy Progella clinched the collegiate titles.
(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team
“Kung may dapat pasalamatan dito, yung IPEA, sila Fr. Rodel (Cansancio), Sir Rod (Sambuang), at Ma’am Gigi (Camus). Kung ano yung binigay ko sa kanila, binibigay nila sa amin,” said Tiger Sands head coach John Paul Doloiras. “Hindi lang sila nakikita pero yung support system nandun talaga.
“Sobrang mahal ko rin yung mga bata at mas madami yung oras ko para sa kanila kaysa para sa pamilya ko. Ngayon, babawi na ako sa pamilya ko. Kailangan mo talagang ibigay yung lahat. Yun yung factors kaya nananalo kami ngayon,” he continued, as this is the first time a school won all four divisions of the event.
Using their court smarts, Dadang and Del Mar overcame a fierce fightback from the Baby Falcons’ Meagan Pineda and Ella Gonzalvo, who erased a five-point deficit in the third set to threaten a comeback.
(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team
Adamson rallied from a 1-6 hole to tie the deciding frame at 11-all. But Dadang and Del Mar leaned on their experience and composure in crunch time to deliver UST its second girls’ title since beach volleyball became an official UAAP event in Season 86 (2024).
The Tiger Sands girls’ team completed a perfect nine-match sweep.
“Ngayon, talagang pinakita nila yung puso ng pagiging champion. Dun sa latter part, talagang nahirapan kami. Pinagtrabahuan talaga ng players. Kahit yung favor nasa kalaban, tiyinaga nila, inisa-isa nila hanggang sa nakuha nila yung panalo,” Doloiras said.
Dadang, who served as the third player when Progella and Cameron Grace Villaluz steered UST to the crown two years ago, was named Season 88 MVP.
(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team
“Para po sa akin, maganda yung naging experience last year kasi hindi pa kami buo noon. Nahirapan kami last year at mas naging composed at tumatag yung partnership namin,” said the 17-year-old native of Cagayan de Oro.
In the boys’ division, Karl Escobar — who began the tournament as UST’s third player — also took home MVP honors.
(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team
“Naka-dorm talaga ako sa beach volleyball. May mga player kami na pang-beach volleyball pero hindi ko inexpect na mala-lineup ako,” said the 18-year-old spiker, who is also part of the Junior Golden Spikers. “I just did my best to prove that I deserve that spot. Nag-mindset ako kung ano yung tinrabaho ko from the day na pinili ako.
“Ang saya sa feeling na nakabawi ako dito sa beach volleyball. Sobrang gaan sa loob na nakabawi ako,” he added, referring to UST’s inability to defend its indoor crown last December.
It was still the best finish for Adamson’s Baby Falcons, who also placed second to the Tiger Sands when high school beach volleyball was still a demonstration sport.
Adamson earlier dethroned National University Nazareth School in the Final Four, as Pineda and Gonzalvo repeated over Faith Mangyao and Julia Candelario, 21-12, 21-14.
Mangyao and Candelario salvaged third place after defeating Far Eastern University-Diliman duo Franz Premaylon and Alexa Amana, 21-18, 21-14.
(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team
UST, meanwhile, swept FEU-D, 21-5, 21-15, in the other semifinal matchup.
In the boys’ division, the University of the East secured the bronze medal after Mharl Dullete and Emman Marcelino edged Adamson’s Brice Malinao and JM Bernabe, 17-21, 24-22, 15-13.
It marked the Recto-based school’s best finish in beach volleyball since Abigail Escandor and Gigi Alanguilan captured silver in UAAP Season 72 (2008).
In the Final Four, NUNS defeated UE, 21-15, 21-13, while UST disposed of Adamson, 21-13, 21-15.
Prince Jimenez of UP Integrated School was named the boys’ Rookie of the Year. – TJ
The post UST makes history with first-ever UAAP Beach Volleyball event sweep appeared first on Tiebreaker Times.
Adamson University returned to the UAAP Collegiate Women’s Volleyball Final Four for the first time in three seasons after a gutsy 25-20, 25-22, 25-23 win over Far Eastern University on Saturday at the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion.
The Lady Falcons closed the Season 88 elimination round with a 9-5 record, currently sitting in solo third place, with the rest of the top five teams still having games remaining.
Adamson last reached the semifinals in Season 85, where it went on to claim the bronze medal. However, an exodus of players forced the program into a two-season rebuild, during which it managed only a combined nine wins.
FEU, meanwhile, dropped to 7-6 at fifth place and now faces a must-win situation against Ateneo de Manila University on Wednesday. The Lady Tamaraws will also need favorable results from University of Santo Tomas’ final two games to keep their Final Four hopes alive.
The post Adamson seals UAAP Women’s Volleyball Final Four return, pushes FEU to the edge appeared first on Tiebreaker Times.
Far Eastern University clinched the top seed in the UAAP Season 88 Collegiate Men’s Volleyball Tournament after a hard-fought 26-24, 22-25, 23-25, 25-9, 15-12 win over Adamson University on Saturday at the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion.
The Tamaraws improved to a 12-1 record, riding a four-game winning streak with one match left in the elimination round against the Ateneo Blue Eagles, a potential Final Four preview on Wednesday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Although National University can still tie them at the top, FEU has already secured the No. 1 seed due to its four-set win over NU in the first round, compared to the Bulldogs’ five-set victory in the second round.
(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team
“Malaking bagay ‘yung ganitong five sets kasi nakikita namin ‘yung mga kulang ng bawat isa. Siguro, marami pang puwedeng maging adjustments, nakikita namin kung saan kami puwedeng mas mag-improve sa ginagawa namin,” said FEU head coach Eddieson Orcullo.
To secure the top seed heading into the Final Four, where they are also projected to face the fourth-ranked Blue Eagles, the Tamaraws had to survive a tough challenge from the Adamson Soaring Falcons.
Adamson took control of the match after winning the second and third sets through timely execution in crunch time, but FEU forced a decider after a dominant 25-9 fourth set that lasted just 18 minutes.
The Tamaraws raced to an 11-6 lead in the deciding frame, but Zyro Ornos sparked a 4-0 run for the Falcons to trim the deficit to just one, 10-11.
However, back-to-back errors by Richard Besorio and Ahmed Tahiluddin halted Adamson’s momentum, while Mikko Espartero sealed the win for FEU after two hours and 10 minutes.
Espartero led the Tamaraws with 22 points and 19 excellent receptions, while Dryx Saavedra added 17 points on 13 attacks, three blocks, and one ace.
Ariel Cacao orchestrated the offense with 33 excellent sets, as Lirick Mendoza and Amet Bituin also finished in double figures with 15 and 10 points, respectively.
(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team
Besorio paced the Soaring Falcons with 17 points and 16 excellent receptions, while Ornos and Tahiluddin chipped in 12 points each.
Adamson finished with a 3-11 record, currently in eighth place, with the University of the Philippines (3-10) still having one game left in the season.
Despite the struggles, it was still an improvement for the Soaring Falcons, who only managed two wins last year.
The post FEU survives Adamson scare, secures top seed in UAAP Men’s Volleyball appeared first on Tiebreaker Times.
Adamson University made the right plays down the stretch to outlast the University of Santo Tomas, 27-25, 25-20, 26-24, and grab a share of third place in the tight UAAP Season 88 Collegiate Women’s Volleyball Tournament Final Four race on Saturday evening at Filoil Centre.
Similar to their first-round upset of the Golden Tigresses last March 7, the Lady Falcons once again leaned on the offensive firepower of Shaina Nitura and Nigerian wing spiker Frances Mordi to strengthen their postseason push with two games remaining in the elimination round.
The crucial victory lifted Adamson into a tie for third place with UST, as both teams hold identical 7-5 win-loss records, ahead of fellow Final Four contenders Far Eastern University (6-5) and the University of the Philippines (5-6). The Lady Falcons also hold the tiebreaker over the Golden Tigresses after sweeping both head-to-head meetings in the preliminaries.
Adamson looks to further strengthen its bid to end a two-year postseason drought when it faces UP this Wednesday, April 15, at the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion.
Meanwhile, UST—playing without head coach Shaq delos Santos due to Cignal’s semifinal clash against Farm Fresh in the 2026 PVL All-Filipino Conference—aims to revive its Final Four bid in a second-round matchup against UP on Sunday, April 19, at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay.
The post Adamson outlasts UST in tight four-set win, grabs share of third in UAAP Women’s Volleyball appeared first on Tiebreaker Times.
-
News4 months agoCamilla Lamina shows calm leadership even off the bench
-
Football4 months ago
2026 Uganda Cup: The confirmed fixtures, venues & kick off times at round of 32
-
DLSU4 months agoShan Nunag shows composure beyond year in La Salle debut
-
Cricket News4 months agoT20 World Cup 2026: 'We've got to stay positive' – Afghanistan coach Jonathan Trott remains hopeful of reaching Super 8 despite back-to-back losses
-
Foreign Pros4 months ago
‘Eric Chelle must pay compensation to quit Super Eagles post’
-
Football4 months ago
Divine Mukasa plays full time as Leicester City bows out of FA Cup to Southampton
-
Others4 months ago
Sarah Babirye Kityo: The majestic return to 12th Parliament, to front sports talent development
-
CAF4 months agoAFCON, Host Country Decisions, and Why African Football Needs an “Imbizo”