11th UNIVERSITY GAMES: USC spikers continue winning run

BACOLOD CITY - The University of San Carlos Warriors volleyball team continued with their winning run even as the Far Eastern University 4x200m relay team set records in the athletics event of the 11th National University Games here.

The Warriors logged their third straight victory, this time over University of Northern Philippines (UNP) in straight sets, 25-11, 25-15, 25-18.

Today, they will meet De La Salle University-Manila at 2:15 pm. here at the University of St. La Salle covered court.

Their soccer team, on the other hand, barged into the winner's row after stamping their class against University of the Philippines-Diliman, 2-0.

Meanwhile, the University of Southern Philippines Foundation (USPF) Panthers women's volleyball team dropped two of their matches after tallying two successive victories.

The Panthers failed to sustain their momentum, succumbing to the wits of powerhouse the University of Santo Tomas, 14-25, 18-25, 24-26, the other night.

Yesterday, the Panthers again fell to the hands of fellow Central Visayas team, the Foundation University of Dumaguete City, 25-14, 19-25, 16-25, 23-25.

Today, they hope to bounced back as they meet Adamson University.

In the track and field events, two members of the USP Panthers, who is supported by Jonathan Guardo of the Guardo Group of Companies, grabbed tickets to the finals in their respective events.

Timoteo Margaha III clocked 11.12 seconds to get the fourth final slot, following Orlando Soriano of Far Eastern University in 10.64, Jeffrey Lozande in 10.84 and Bryan Sotingco in 10.91.

Teammate Harren Melendez, for his part, was also fifth in the 110-meter hurdles, clocking 15.57 seconds with the top slot being taken by Orlando Soriano of FEU in 14.95.

Meanwhile, the FEU Tamaraws set two new marks to pace the competition in the track and field events here at the Panaad Park and Stadium.

The Tamaraws made a late surge in the track and field games as their 4x200m relay teams in both the men and women's division won the gold medals in record-breaking fashion.

The Lady Tamaraws clocked one minute and 44.22 seconds to win the gold over University of Santo Tomas and University of the Philippines-Diliman.

The old mark was 1:45.00 set in 2004 made up of Nariza Rubio, Zarah dela Vega, Ma. Arianne Lunasco and Sharon Jizmundo.

This year, Zarah dela Virgo joined the team of Rubio, Lunasco and Jizmundo for the record breaking feat.

In the men's side, the Tamaraws took the gold medal with a record-breaking time of 1:29.19, to erase the mark of 1:29.90 made in 2004 by another FEU team.

Joining the gold medal winning athletes of FEU is Marriz Cotoner, who took the gold medal in long jump with a leap of 5.30 meters as teammate Lunasco settled for silver in 5.25m.

Also winning three gold medals to share the limelight with FEU is the University of Santo Tomas, leaning on the two gold medal performances of Bernardita Mag-aso.

Mag-aso smoked the competition in the 3,000m with a time of 10 minutes and 48 seconds and in the 800m run in 2:17.71.