La Salle overall champ in UAAP; UST second

MANILA, Philippines – De La Salle University hit the target not only in the prestigious women’s volleyball tournament but also in the race for the UAAP Season 78 general championship.

The La Sallians edged University of Santo Tomas at the end of 29 events, logging 284 points against UST’s 280, to reclaim the overall title they previously held in Seasons 75 and 76.

The Taft-based athletes unleashed a fiery finishing kick in the last two sports played out, reclaiming the women’s volleyball tiara at the expense of rival Ateneo and coming through with a solid silver finish in women’s football and third place in men’s football to fuel their drive.

Overall, La Salle won six titles while finishing runner-up thrice and landing No. 3 a total of 10 times.

Complementing the Lady Spikers’ feat in DLSU’s GC conquest were the triumphant entries in women’s beach volleyball, women’s chess, baseball, and men’s and women’s table tennis, where Rio Olympics-bound Ian Lariba was the spearhead.

The Thomasians, on the other hand, reigned in four events – women’s athletics, men’s taekwondo, poomsae, and women’s judo – while taking bridesmaid honors in centerpiece men’s basketball and 10 other events and finishing third in one.

UST enjoyed the upperhand after the first semester events, 155 against DLSU’s 153, but lost steam in the windup.

The Thomasians failed to salvage their quest for back-to-back GCs after bowing to eventual champion University of the Philippines in the Final Four of men’s football, the last event in the season’s calendar.

Ateneo wound up third overall with 238 points, building its tally around championships in men’s indoor volleyball and beach volleyball,  men’s and women’s swimming,  and men’s judo.