Santo Tomas secures 36th UAAP crown

MANILA, Philippines - University of Santo Tomas lorded it over the UAAP field for the 11th straight year as it captured the overall championship in the 71st University Athletic Association of the Philippines last week.

The España-based school copped nine of the 28 titles disputed for a winning total of 333 points, highlighting its romp with a victory in men’s volleyball where it subdued University of the Philippines, 25-22, 25-14, 25-17, Wednesday.

UST also reigned supreme in men’s fencing, men’s swimming, men’s table tennis, men’s and women’s taekwondo and beach volleyball and women’s football and women’s lawn tennis.

UST thus claimed a league-best 36 overall championship crowns since joining the UAAP in 1938.

La Salle, banking on its women’s volleyball team’s tough 25-19, 20-25, 25-21, 25-21 victory over Far Eastern U last Sunday, came in second with 241 points.

That thrilling victory enabled the Lady Archers to gain 15 points as they swept past the University of the Philippines Maroons and the Far Eastern U Tams, who fell to third and fourth spots with 235 and 233 points, respectively.

It was La Salle’s fifth women’s indoor volley title and third this year following victories in women’s chess and men’s beach volleyball.

The Maroons captured the men’s football and women’s judo crowns while the Tams ruled athletics in both divisions, women’s badminton, women’s basketball, men’s chess, women’s table tennis and women’s beach volley.

Ateneo, University of the East, Adamson and National U finished fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth with 199, 170, 89 and 35 points, respectively.