Tigresses snare 4th title

MANILA, Philippines - What was expected to be a closely-fought sudden death match turned out to be a cruise for University of Santo Tomas as it swept San Sebastian College for the second straight time, 25-18, 25-20, 25-22, to rule the sixth Shakey’s V-League presented by Cherifer before a packed crowd at The Arena in San Juan.

Everything the Tigresses did right in forcing the rubber match with a straight-set win last Sunday, they did again yesterday, plus more, as the España-based squad reasserted its might on the net, held SSC’s top scorer to a single-digit output and showed up with a more cohesive unit to clinch the win that mattered most.

MVP Mary Jean Balse lived up to her billing by leading UST’s charge with 18 hits while Aiza Maizo came through with 14 points as the Tigresses avenged their loss to the Lady Stags in last year’s second conference finals.

More importantly, the victory made UST the winningest team in the league, sponsored by Shakey’s Pizza and Cherifer, with four championships, leaving behind La Salle with three.

Bualee, the league’s top scorer with a 17-hit norm in the final, was held to just eight points, her conference-low, leaving the brunt of scoring to Laurence Ann Latigay, Suzanne Roces and Analyn Benito.

But the troika had no answer to UST’s firepower with Maika Ortiz, Bernice Co and Michelle Carolino combining for 24 points and Rhea Dimaculangan, the league’s top setter, coming up big with four blocks for a six-point performance.

The Lady Stags tried to extend the match as it fought back to within, 22-23, in the third on a Latigay hit but Maizo countered with her own on another superb set-up by Dimaculangan before Maizo blocked Benito’s attack to clinch the set, the match and the crown.

“We offer this victory to coach August Sta. Maria, “ said UST mentor Cesael delos Santos. “It’s a nice feeling to win for the first time. At least we got back at the Lady Stags after we lost to them last year.”

Sta. Maria steered UST to its first three titles in the league, organized by Sports Vision and backed by Accel, Mikasa, Mighty Bond and OraCare, the last in 2007 before he suffered a stroke in March last year.

“Our Game 2 win was a big boost to my players’ confidence. They gave their 100 percent,” said delos Santos.

San Sebastian took the opener of the best-of-three title series, 25-17, 25-22, 25-19, last Thursday but UST evened things up with a similar straight-set 25-21, 25-22, 25-23 win last Sunday, setting the stage for what observers had predicted to be a no-holds-barred contest between the league’s top teams.

But UST had other things in mind.

Scoring on quick plays from superb set-ups by Dimaculangan, the Tigresses seized control early and had an answer for each San Sebastian comeback.

The Tigresses, with Ortiz on the attack, cashed in on the Lady Stags poor reception in the first set to build a 14-7 lead. Although they sputtered in the next stretch that enabled SSC to close in at 17-19, the Tigresses picked up four straight points to take the opener.

Balse then took over in the second, scoring on her power game as UST quickly erased a 2-5 deficit to surge ahead at 17-12.

But Roces stepped up and worked with Bualee on the attack as SSC forced a 20-all count. But the Tigresses simply shrugged off the threat and re-imposed their strength and will to win the next five points capped by Co’s service ace.

It was the fifth time in four years that Bualee had failed to steer SSC tot he championship, missing the team’s title romp last year.