INQUIRER Sports

THE TAEKWONDO TEAM OF UNIVERSITY of Santo Tomas retained the men’s title, regained the juniors plum but lost its women’s crown to Far Eastern University after a six-year reign during the championship on Saturday at the UST gym in España, Manila.

The Tigers toyed with La Salle, 5-2; University of the East, 7-0; University of the Philippines, 5-2; and Far Eastern University, 6-1, before coming from behind to beat Ateneo, 4-3, in the finals. The Tigers thus wound up their 72nd season campaign with a 5-0 slate.

Down 0-3, UST’s Dane Pio de Roda won his featherweight match against Ateneo’s Joaquin Mendoza as the Tigers swept the last four matches. Middle/heavyweight Marlon Avenido was named MVP while Rookie of the Year honors went to Jose Anthony Soriano, both from UST.

In the juniors division, the Tiger Cubs got back at the UE Pages, 3-2, the same squad that snapped their eight-year run last season. UST’s Gerry del Rosario romped off with the MVP trophy while teammate Clint Ferrer was top rookie.

However, FEU averted a triple UST celebration when it ended the Tigresses’ reign with a 4-3 victory in the finals.

The Lady Tamaraws, who also finished the season undefeated, fell 0-2 before bantam Karla Alava resuscitated their championship hopes by beating Aphrodite Brillantes.