NU’s Jaja Santiago ends UAAP career with MVP award

Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net

Jaja Santiago may have failed to lead National University to the UAAP Season 80 women’s volleyball Finals, but the towering spiker was able to win the MVP award as consolation.

The 6-foot-5 Santiago, who was also named Best Spiker, led the Lady Bulldogs to a 5-0 start, making their case as the favorites to win the title but the team faltered and went on to drop eight of their last 10 games including a Final Four loss to defending champion De La Salle.

Despite the disappointing finish, Santiago still racked up the numbers to win the plum.

Cherry Rondina’s brilliance also didn’t go unnoticed after the explosive University of Santo Tomas spiker bagged the Best Scorer award.

Rondina single-handedly won games for the Golden Tigresses, who dealt with injuries to key players that hampered their chances to make the Final Four.

The future, though, looks promising for UST after Fil-Italian hitter Milena Alessandrini was named Rookie of the Year.

The other awardees for this season are La Salle’s Desiree Cheng (Best Server), University of the East’s Kath Arado (Best Digger, Best Receiver), Far Eastern University’s Celine Domingo (Best Blocker) and Ateneo’s Deanna Wong (Best Setter).