INQUIRER Sports

MANILA, Philippines--Tougher when it mattered, University of Santo Tomas completed the first UAAP volleyball sweep in six years with a pair of resounding victories Saturday at the FilOil Flying V Arena in San Juan.

Underscoring their worth as the best women?s collegiate squad in the country, the Tigresses dethroned La Salle with a 25-18, 25-14, 16-25, 25-15 victory last night that capped a two-game sweep of the women?s volleyball championship series.

The Tigers, earlier, secured a third consecutive crown and 18th overall by smashing Far Eastern University, 25-21, 25-17, 25-21.

With the twin victories, the España-based school pulled off the first sweep of the volleyball titles since La Salle pulled off the feat in the 2003-2004 season.

UST, which has won 11 straight UAAP overall crowns, can add two more titles to its coffers this season when its men and women?s football teams clash against Far Eastern U and La Salle in winner-take-all matches Sunday at Ateneo?s Erenchun Field in Quezon City.

The women?s title, UST?s 14th in the UAAP, punctuated a banner season for the Tigresses, who also captured the University Games title in Iloilo City and the Shakey?s V-League crown last November.

A jubilant UST coach Shaq delos Santos offered the victory to former UST mentor August Sta. Maria who suffered a stroke after the 2007-08 season when the Tigresses failed to defend their crown.

?I could not ask for more,? Delos Santos said. ?I dedicate this victory to coach August.?

After easily losing the third set, the Tigresses found their second wind in the next frame, fighting back from an early five-point hole to complete the upset over the Lady Archers, who entered the finals as the favorite after posting a 13-0 record in the elimination round.

Described by Delos Santos as the team?s ?stabilizer,? UST setter Rhea Dimaculangan was named Most Valuable Player of the finals.

Angeli Tabaquero, playing her last season for the Tigresses, spearheaded UST with 13 points, while rookie Maru Banaticla and skipper Aiza Maizo contributed 11 markers.

Behind Harby Ilano and JP Torres, the Tigers swept the Tamaraws, who finished second behind UST at the end of the elimination round.

For Tigers coach Emil Lontoc, the championship sets them up for a ?four-peat?, which will be doubly significant because the university will be celebrating its 400th year anniversary