Tigresses nab 2nd straight UAAP beach volley crown; Bulldogs rule in men’s

MANILA, Philippines — Maru Banaticla and Judy Caballejo capped a perfect season with a second straight title in the women’s UAAP beach volley tournament Saturday at the UE Caloocan sandcourt.

The Tigresses sealed the championship with 19-21, 21-17, 15-10 win in game two over the Lady Falcons’ Sheila Pineda and Pau Soriano.

The Tigresses, who entered the finals outright after scoring a seven-game sweep of the eliminations, won the opener, 23-25, 21-16, 15-12.

Maru Banaticla, who was named the season MVP, even played through cramps under a scorching afternoon to deliver the win along with Caballejo, who is playing her last year as a Tigress.

“Siguro, pareho lang matamis ang championship namin. Pareho lang dramatic rin ang naging ending,” said Caballejo.

The Tigresses joined Adamson and FEU as the winningest women’s beach volleyball team with two championships apiece.

In the men’s beach volley, meanwhile, Edwin Tolentino and Josephenry Tipay of National University dethroned powerhouse Far Eastern University to capture the title.

The Bulldogs edged the Tamaraw duo of Arvin Avila and Karl dela Calzada, 21-12, 20-22, 15-9, in the deciding Game 3.

FEU forged a winner-take-all game three with a 27-25, 21-17 victory in Game 2, but they could not sustain the energy that gave them three straight titles.

Tolentino was named as the men’s division MVP, while the Rookie of the Year honors went to University of the East’s Justin Roque.