The Varsitarian

THE GREEN Archers are closing in, threatening to erase the Tigers’ slim 17-thin point lead at the end of the first semester and deny UST another UAAP general championship. UST’s fate now rests on 14 Tigers squads, three of which are defending their respective crowns against vastly improved opponents.

Here are the Varsitarian’s predictions on how the Tigers would perform in the final seven events.

Tiger Spikers

Last Season: Champion

Prediction: Champion

Fresh from a training stint in Thailand, the Season 71 champions are hungry to defend their crown this season, parading an intact line-up with the addition of promising rookies. “Our aim is to again get 17 wins like we did last year,” coach Emil Lontoc said.

Beach volleyball kings Henry Pecaña and Jayson Ramos will try to conquer the indoor tilt together with equally reliable teammates Salvador Depante, John Paul Torres, and Harby Ilano.

Lady Spikers

Last Season: Third Place

Prediction: Champion

Emerging as champions in the University Games (Unigames) and the V-League during their off-season stints only added to the Lady Spikers’ hunger for a UAAP title.

Despite losing key players to graduation, the girls are positive they can thump the opposition with the return of veteran Angeli Tabaquero and stellar players like Maruja Banaticla and Dindin Santiago in the roster.

The Lady Spikers still will also be relying on the skills and court-savvy of Aiza Maizo, Judy Caballejo, Maika Ortiz and Hannah Mance to end their three-year title drought.

Golden Booters

Last Season: Fourth Place

Prediction: Third Place

After losing team captain Marvin Barquin to leg injury in the off-season, the next mishap the Golden Booters had to hurdle was the partial anterior cruciate ligament injury of ace striker OJ Clariño. With the absence of Barquin, the leadership of goalkeeper Lee Johnson will thoroughly be tested.

“We still need to improve our finishing touches [on the play],” coach Marjo Allado said. “The players also have to control their emotions [better] during the game.”

Allado added that their toughest opponent could be the University of the East (UE) and the Far Eastern University (FEU) teams. But the Booters’ experience playing as a team in pre-season tilts like Unigames and Ang Liga will prove invaluable during their UAAP campaign.

Lady Booters

Last Season: Champion

Prediction: Champion

The Lady Booters’ off-season dominance could only spell doom for their UAAP rivals.

With UST defeating top contenders FEU and De La Salle University in the Rexona Cup and the Unigames respectively, coach Rozano Estrabon believes that the team can muster a repeat performance in the collegiate scene if pressure won’t get in the way. “Some players get nervous when they’re in the limelight,” Estrabon said.

Male Tennisters

Last Season: Second place

Prediction: Second place

Lack of experience will be the greatest adversary of the Season 71 bridesmaids in their aim for championship redemption this year.

“My top players in doubles [Alexander Diego and Wilbur Orellano] graduated last year and Ryan Repunte, migrated [to Canada]. The ones left are mostly rookies and sophomores,” said coach Karl Santamaria, who will not be coaching UST for a month due to an international competition.

The Male Tennisters will now rely heavily on the firepower of Season 70 Rookie of the Year Raymond Villarete and team captain Keanne Barraquias, whose smashing performance helped the Tennisters rule the Philippine Columbian Association Inter-college Competition.

Lady Tennisters

Last Season: Champion

Prediction: Champion

The Lady Tennisters are confident that they can extend their title run to four. Despite losing ace player Macie Solon who transferred to Silliman University, UST won’t go home empty-handed as two-time Most Valuable Player Nikki Manalo and seven other veterans will make sure of that.

According to Sta. Maria, La Salle will be the toughest contender this year after acquiring ace rookies.

Baseball

Last Season: Fourth Place

This Season: Second Place

The reigning “tycoons of the diamond” in the Private Schools Athletics Associations (Prisaa) are equipped with maturity and exposure to strike-out the opposition in the upcoming UAAP baseball wars.

“I didn’t stop training them for one year until I saw that they had a strong fighting chance,” coach Jeffrey Santiago said. “Although we lost some key players, the others got enough exposure and wisdom. They became sharper as days went by.”

Gaining ample experience from last year’s UAAP and other exhibition matches, Prisaa MVP Glen Tuazon and Gerald Mitra would don the pitcher gloves in their sophomore year. Although Adamson University remains to be the top favorite with its intact lineup, UST will be a darkhorse with promising rookies Amber Plaza, Carlo Conge and John Pedracio.

Softball

Last Season: Second Place

Prediction: Second Place

What greater sacrifice could these athletes give than to spend their Christmas vacation away from their families for training? Coach Sandy Barredo claimed that almost half of the team stayed in Manila after the Paskuhan celebration in UST to practice for UAAP.

The Softbelles, who played second fiddle to Adamson last year, will be led by veterans Lani Sarmiento and Aiza de la Torre, while Bacolod-based rookies Angelique Benjamin, and Jenalyn Polinario will provide fresh blood for UST.

“To further motivate the girls, I let them practice with UST’s baseball team so they won’t get nervous come game time,” said Barredo. Like their male counterparts, the Softbelles also dominated the Prisaa in Naga City .

Male Woodpushers

Last Season: Second place

This Season: Champion

This season, the young UST Male Woodpushers team will be on equal footing with other universities, after their rivals lost most of their “grand masters” to graduation.

Team captain Gerald Ferriol remains positive that their daily training sessions will give them just enough skills and composure for a podium finish this year. “Hopefully [we’ll end up] first runner-up or better yet, champions,” Ferriols said.

Lady Woodpushers

Last Season: Third Place

This Season: Second Place

Lack of manpower was the major dilemma of coach Ronald Dableo last year, prompting him to rotate only a few players. But he promised that the team will make up for it this year.

Because the UAAP chess competition was moved to the second semester, the Lady Woodpushers had ample time to practice, using the pavilion near the football field for their daily training camp.

Male Fencers

Last Season: Champion

Prediction: Champion

Back-to-back champions UST Male Fencers are out to conquer the piste once more with Season 71 MVP Harris Orendain still on the line-up. Despite his rookie-laden lineup, coach Ricardo Feenzalida said that UST remains a top contender, with the championship plum still in reach.

“We are still at the same level as FEU and UE,” Feenzalida said.

Lady Fencers

Last Season: Second Place

Prediction: Champion

Not to be outdone, the Lady Fencers engaged in intensive training to gear up for this season’s piste battles. From their dismal fourth-place finish in Season 70, the Lady Fencers improved to second place last year, and showed promise in competitions to come.

Lone gold medalist Karen Sorizo will be playing in the sabre category this year.

Male Tracksters

Last Season: Second Place

Prediction: Third Place

Can UST finally find the right formula for championship after being eclipsed by frontrunner FEU in both divisions last year?

Coach Manny Calipes believes that the UAAP wars will still be a three-way fight among UST, FEU, and Ateneo.

Although Calipes is confident that the Male Tracksters will collect golds, he also admitted that they will be considered underdogs compared with the two powerhouse teams because of UST’s incomplete line-up.

All eyes will be on Roger Denolo, who had a double-gold act in the 3,000-meter steeplechase and 5,000-meter run during the Unigames. Robin Tuliao, Jordan Paul Billones and Ernie Sabiduria will also be there to mound the medal board for UST.

Female Tracksters

Last Season: Second Place

Prediction: Champions

The queen runners of the Unigames gained enough strength and confidence to challenge Season 71 champions FEU who denied them the championship last season.

But even if UST won the title in Bacolod, Calipes says it’s still no assurance that the team will also win the UAAP title. “Based on our performance in Unigames, I’m sure we’ll get more golds,” he said. “But the championship [UAAP] is different because of the point system. There are a lot of factors involved.”

Rookie Serenata Saluan is expected to have her share of the limelight in the medal haul, together with sisters Viena Mae and Ma. de la Paz Banebane and team captain Luville Dato-on. The Sports Team