UNIVERSITY of Santo Tomas’s (UST) Sisi Rondina and Babylove Barbon made quick work of University of the Philippines’s (up) Isa Molde and Justine Dorog, 21-12, 21-12, to open the Tigresses bid for a third straight women’s volleyball crown in Season 81 of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) beach volleyball tournament on Monday at Sands SM By The Bay.
But reigning men’s champion National University (NU) dropped its season opener, as Far Eastern University’s Jude Garcia and Kevin Hadlocon stunned the fancied pair of Bryan Bagunas and James Natividad, 25-23, 21-17.
Playing her final season, Rondina has Barbon as new partner—the fourth in her collegiate career—but the two performed as if they have played together for a long time.
A rookie who hails from Bukidnon, Barbon was solid on both ends to compliment the savviness of the three-time Most Valuable Player Rondina.
The Tigresses are the most successful squad in the sport with five crowns, three of which Rondina won with different partners. The Compostela, Cebu, native hopes to cap her UAAP stint as a winner for UST.
The Lady Tamaraws, last season’s second placers to the Tigresses, were not as fortunate in their season-opener.
De La Salle’s Tin Tiamzon and Michelle Morente overcame a second-set meltdown to beat FEU’s Ivana Agudo and Marianne Calinawan, 21-14, 20-22, 15-10, while NU’s Klymince Orilleneda and Antonnete Landicho topped Ateneo’s Ponggay Gaston and Jules Samonte, 21-11, 21-14.
The back-to-back title-seeking Bulldogs fell by the wayside, as the Tamaraws, last year’s third placers, used their court smarts to prevail.
In other men’s morning matches, UST’s Krung Arbasto and Jaron Requinton beat Ateneo’s Kurt Aguilar and Abai Llenos, 21-11, 21-14; Adamson University’s Pao Pablico and Jesus Valdez bested UP’s Nico Consuelo and Mac Millete, 24-22, 21-14; and UE’s Clifford Inoferio and Alven Aljas tripped De La Salle’s Geraint Bacon and Raprap Sumalinog, 21-19, 21-16.
GREEN ARCHER WEEK’S BEST
FOR two years, Justine Baltazar waited patiently for his time to shine.
In his first two years at De La Salle, the 6-foot-7 big man played in the shadow of Cameroonian powerhouse Ben Mbala, and thus settled for limited minutes.
With Mbala taking his talents abroad, Baltazar’s time has finally come—and the former Juniors Finals MVP is shining under the bright lights of the UAAP.
He was the hero in De La Salle’s first win of Season 81 and was the pillar of strength that propelled the Green Archers to back-to-back victories.
Against fancied National University last Wednesday, Baltazar had a double-double of 17 points and 12 rebounds in under 27 minutes of action.
Most important, he nailed the tough baseline jumper that gave the Green Archers a 78-76 lead with 28 seconds to play. They would go on to shock the Bulldogs, 80-76, for their first win of Season 81.
Four days later, Baltazar scored 16 points, grabbed 14 boards and blocked three shots to power La Salle to an 82-72 triumph over University of the East.
For his efforts, the young center was recognized as the UAAP Press Corps Player of the Week.
“It’s about hard work in training and during the game,” the soft-spoken Baltazar said after they beat UE, which gave them a share of second place.
After three games, Baltazar is averaging a double-double of 13.7 points and 11.7 rebounds, along with 1.7 blocks. The 21-year-old beat teammate Aljun Melecio, Adamson University’s Jerrick Ahanmisi and Far Eastern University’s Prince Orizu for the award given by print and online writers covering the league.