NU, UST, Ateneo bag UAAP titles

NATIONAL University, University of Santo Tomas and Ateneo captured the first three UAAP championships disputed in separate title games over the weekend.

The Bulldogs bagged their first beach volleyball crown, while the Tigresses completed their back-to-back romp with a perfect run.

MVP Edwin Tolentino and Joseph Tipay spoiled Far Eastern University’s bid for a third straight crown as the NU duo outlasted Tamaraws Arvin Avila and Karl dela Calzada, 21-12, 20-22, 15-9, in the deciding Game 3.

The Tigresses, meanwhile, capped their season with MVP Maru Banaticla and Judy Caballejo downing Adamson’s Sheila Pineda and Pau Soriano, 19-21, 21-17, 15-10, in the women’s final.

Ateneo also posted a perfect 9-0 season behind rookie Jana de Vera to cop the women’s badminton championship.

De Vera overpowered FEU’s Dei Duqilla, 21-15, 21-16, in the deciding singles to lift the Lady Eagles to a 3-2 triumph over the Lady Tamaraws.

In men’s action, the Bulldogs rose from a 0-2 hole behind Joper Escueta to down Ateneo, 3-2, and forge a deciding Game 3.

Meanwhile, NU’s Ray Parks earned his second UAAP Press Corps Player of the Week award, the citation given by sports scribes.

Parks, the reigning men’s basketball MVP, recorded his third 30-point outing this season and sixth overall in two years in the league.

Parks fired 32 points in the Bulldogs’ crucial victory over La Salle, 72-62, last Sunday.

In taekwondo, UST and FEU open their title defense in the men’s and women’s divisions today at Filoil Flying V Arena.