UST booters edge UE; UP, La Salle triumph

MANILA, Philippines - National team mainstay OJ Clariño scored in the 26th minute as University of Santo Tomas edged University of the East, 1-0, at the start of second round action of UAAP Season 74 men’s football at the Ateneo field yesterday.

Ghana’s Ayi Nii Aryee converted on a penalty kick goal in the second half to power defending champion UP past Ateneo, 1-0, while Don Rabaya struck in the 68th minute to lift De La Salle past Far Eastern University, 1-0, in the other men’s games.

The Growling Tigers thus firmed up their hold of the top spot with 12 points on a 3-3-0 win-draw-loss record, while the Fighting Maroons, who ended a four-game scoreless streak, moved up to second with 10 points (2-4-0).

The Tamaraws remained at eight points with 2-2-2, the Green Archers improved to seven points on 1-4-1 card and the Blue Eagles got stuck at six points with 2-0-4. The Red Warriors have three points on a 0-3-3 slate.

In women’s play, De La Salle blanked UP, 2-0, to collect six points on a 1-3-1 slate. The Lady Maroons remained at five points with 1-2-2.

In baseball at the Rizal Memorial Baseball Stadium, De La Salle routed UP, 7-1, while NU stunned Ateneo, 8-5.

The Green Archers and the Bulldogs forced a three-way tie for the lead with the Blue Eagles at 6-2.

Defending champion UST stayed on course to making it to the Final Four by edging Adamson University, 10-9, tying its victim at fourth at 3-5.

In chess at the FEU-Manila Mini-Theater, the reigning five-time champion Tamaraws drubbed the Tigers, 3-1, to keep the top spot at the start of the second round action in men’s division.

Titleholder De La Salle, on the other hand, widened its lead in the women’s division after subduing NU, 3-1.

The Tams now have an eight-round total of 23 points to lead their group, while the Lady Archers collected 26 points, with six rounds remaining in the season.

FEU has a two-point lead over UP, held to a 2-2 draw by De La Salle over the weekend. The Growling Tigers slid to third place with 20 points.

The Lady Archers have an eight-point advantage over their closest pursuer, the Lady Maroons, who kept second with 18 points after clobbering the Lady Eagles, 3.5-.5. Ateneo ran third with 16.5 points.