FEU dominates Unigames; Warriors forfeit cage title

BACOLOD CITY—Far Eastern U finished its campaign with a flourish, pulling off dramatic victories in men’s football and women’s basketball to emerge as the top school in the 17th Sandugo University Games yesterday at University of St. La Salle here.

The Tamaraws, riding on the heroics of striker Jess Melliza, produced an epic 5-4 extra time win over USLS in the men’s football finals at Panaad Stadium.

Melliza netted a hat trick, including a 108th minute strike that preserved a two-goal cushion as FEU survived wave after wave of attack from the hosts late in the match.

The Tamaraws blew a two-goal lead with USLS’ Marson dela Torre firing the equalizer two minutes into second-half stoppage time to make it 3-3, before Eric Giganto and Melliza found the back of the net in first-half extra time.

Over at USLS Coliseum, the Lady Tamaraws overcame the National U Lady Bulldogs, 57-54, to wrest the women’s basketball title and jack up FEU’s total haul to four titles, counting its sweep of men and women’s athletics earlier.

But the men’s basketball tournament ended on a sour note as University of the East forfeited its finals duel with National U.

The Warriors immediately left Bacolod after winning their semifinal game against Ateneo Saturday to catch a flight to Taiwan where they were to join another tournament.

Organizers were so incensed that they stripped the Warriors of second place and awarded it to the winner of the third-place game, where Ateneo edged Adamson, 58-56.

USLS got its payback against FEU in the men’s volley finals, where the Stingers rallied to prevail, 19-25, 20-25, 25-16, 25-17, 23-21.

De La Salle denied the hosts a volleyball sweep with the Lady Archers prevailing, 31-29, 25-19, 25-14, in the finals.

St. Benilde also collected four titles with victories in men’s chess, men and women’s taekwondo and women’s beach volleyball, while University of the Philippines, buoyed by wins in women’s football, chess and swimming, and DLSU took three crowns each.

The Archers also prevailed in women’s table tennis and women’s lawn tennis.

San Beda ruled men’s swimming and men’s table tennis, a feat matched by USLS which also topped men’s badminton.

Central Philippine U topped karatedo, while Rizal Technological U reigned supreme in sepak takraw. Foundation U brought home the men’s beach volleyball title.