By Jean Malanum

MANILA – National University Nazareth School (NUNS) pocketed its first UAAP girls beach volleyball title after Vilmarie Toos and Faith Mangyao triumphed over University of Santo Tomas pair Cheng Dadang and Angelica del Mar, 18-21, 21-10, 15-8, Sunday night at Sands SM By The Bay.
National University also took the women’s crown last November, beating UST in three sets.
“We’re happy because we had many struggles for the past year. For example, we did not go home for Christmas and New Year just to train, that’s what drove us to become champions,” said Toos, the Season’s Most Valuable Player.
In the semifinal, NUNS’ Toos and Mangyao downed Adamson’s Ella Gonzalvo and Maegan Pineda, 21-9, 21-15, while UST’s Dadang and Del Mar prevailed over Far Eastern University-Diliman’s Sheena Cafe and Sheila Pascual, 21-17, 16-21, 15-6.
Meanwhile, Adamson settled for the bronze medal after Gonzalvo and Pineda conquered Far Eastern University-Diliman’s Cafe and Aleah Devosora, 21-17, 21-12.
Gonzalvo took the Rookie of the Year award, which she also received in the indoor volleyball event.
In the boys division, UST’s JM Lagaran and Lance Malinao rallied past NUNS’ Wayne Dionela and Kian Tan, 21-14, 13-21, 16-14, in the final.
UST bounced back from an 8-12 deficit in the deciding third set to prevent NUNS from claiming a second straight title.
“I’m happy. The win is also for our coaches, our sisters and brothers who helped us in training, that we finally gave something to them,” said Lagaran.
In the semifinal, UST’s Lagaran and Malinao clobbered FEU-D’s Calimlim and Sam Coronel, 21-7, 21-12, while NUNS’ Dionela and Tan won over Adamson’s Malinao and Ygot, 21-12, 21-16.
In the battle for the bronze medal match, FEU-D’s Zedrick Calimlim and Tyler Ramos survived Adamson’s Brice Malinao and Gian Ygot, 22-20, 19-21, 15-13.
De La Salle-Zobel’s Luis Papa was named the top rookie. (PNA)