MANILA, Philippines – La Salle's Kim Fajardo and Cyd Demecillo swept Far Eastern University's Bernadeth Pons and Kyla Atienza to clinch its first-ever women's championship in the UAAP Season 78 beach volleyball tournament on Wednesday at the Sands SM By The Bay.
The Lady Spikers needed three sets to repulse the Lady Tamaraws in the Finals opener, 21-17, 16-21, 15-12, before returning in the afternoon with a 21-16, 25-23 victory in Game 2 to cap an improbable run for the crown.
In the Final Four decider, La Salle put an end to Alyssa Valdez's hopes of winning a beach volleyball title in her final year as it ousted Ateneo, 20-22, 21-14, 16-14.
It was a sweet victory for the Lady Spikers, who won nine of their last 10 matches to capture the women's tiara.
"Noong nag-umpisa kami ng 0-2, sinabi ko kay Cyd na La Salle tayo, hindi tayo dapat ganito. Kailangang may patunayan tayo, kailangan may paghugutan tayo ng lakas ng loob," said Fajardo, who is making her swan song in the sand court. "Last ko na ito, kaya kailangang manalo. Yun ang inspiration ko."
In Game 2, the Lady Tamaraws were on the verge of extending the match to a third set but the Lady Spikers got into the groove with Demecillo and Fajardo delivering the key kills to frustrate Pons and Atienza.
La Salle finally made it to the pedestal after several near misses in the last couple of seasons.
"We did not expect this. Dinaan namin sa tiyaga para makuha ang championship," said Demecillo, who and Fajardo had only five hours of sleep before springing into action in the Lady Spikers' morning match. The duo played for Meralco, which has the core of La Salle players in a club league which ended at 10 p.m. late Tuesday.
FEU became the favorites after topping the single round elimination with a 6-1 record before bundling out fourth-ranked Adamson University in the Final Four.
Demecillo and Fajardo pounced on Valdez and Bea Tan's error-filled game to give the Lady Spikers' the right to face on the top-ranked Lady Tamaraws in the best-of-three title series.
Valdez has not been successful in the sand court for the Lady Eagles, finishing second in 2012 and settling for third place honors this season.