DLSU Football hounded by postseason upsets

DLSU Football closed its UAAP Season 78 campaign with disappointment despite carrying impressive records in the men’s and women’s divisions. The men’s team ended their season in third place after a heartbreaking 5-4 defeat to the ADMU Blue Eagles in the Final Four on penalties (1-1 after extra time). Similarly, the women’s team settled for a first runner-up finish after falling to the UP Lady Maroons, 2-1, in their championship match.

The women’s team finished their elimination round campaign as the top seed over the five-team playing field. La Salle managed to record 20 points coming from six wins, two draws, and zero losses.

The Green-and-White went on to win its first five assignments, highlighted by a 6-0 crushing of the UST Tigresses and a 2-0 victory over eventual champions UP. In its three games prior to the finals, La Salle was held to only one victory over an improved UST squad (2-1), and two draws versus UP (2-2) and defending champions FEU (1-1).

Because it was a five-team league, the women’s division did not feature the traditional Final Four format. Rather, the top two teams of the elimination round, which turned out to be La Salle and UP, squared off in a winner-take-all championship match.

In the finals, the Lady Maroons overcame a timid first half to upset the Green-and-White, 2-1. UP team captain Cristina Delos Reyes opened the scoreline with a penalty kick, while Angeliza Sta. Clara sealed the game for the first-time champions. Rookie midfielder Sara Castañeda came away as the lone goalscorer for the Green-and-White with a penalty kick of her own.

The men’s team ended their elimination round as the second seed with 29 points after recording nine wins, two draws, and three loses. The team ended its first round of eliminations undefeated, with five wins and two draws, highlighted by dramatic victories over archrival ADMU (3-1), defending champions FEU (2-1), and eventual champions UP (1-0). However, the Green-and-White succumbed to the aforementioned teams in the second round, as they failed to sustain the same level of play from the first round.

La Salle would go on to face third-seeded Ateneo in the Final Four. Despite splitting their head-to-head matches prior to the match, La Salle seemed primed to secure a second consecutive finals appearance. However, the Blue Eagles had other plans, as they scored the first goal courtesy of Carlo Liay in the 36th minute. DLSU did not go without a fight, as team captain Gelo Diamante scored the tying goal in the 75th minute. The late goal forged a penalty shootout after both teams failed to score in extra time. The Blue Eagles eventually came out on top, 5-4, after substitute goalkeeper JP Oracion made an emphatic save on Jose Montelibano’s penalty kick.

The UP Fighting Maroons came away as the champions in the men’s division after crushing Katipunan rivals, ADMU, 4-1, completing UP’s sweep in the sport of football.

La Salle bagged a majority of the individual awards of the UAAP Season 78 Football Tournament as a consolation. In the women’s division, Inna Palacios was once again named Best Goalkeeper. Regine Metillo received the Best Defender award, while Castañeda was named Best Midfielder and Rookie of the Year. Rookie Shannon Arthur was named the Best Striker of the tournament and shared Golden Boot honors with Castañeda as both finished with seven goals. Palacios, Metillo, Castaneda, and Arthur were joined by Irish Navaja and Kyla Inquig in the UAAP Women’s Team of the Year.

In the men’s division, Paeng De Guzman received Best Goalkeeper honors, while Jed Diamante was named Rookie of the Year. De Guzman and Diamante were joined by Noel Brago and Gerald Layumas in the UAAP Men’s Team of the Year.

From football, La Salle earned a total of 22 GC points, (12 from the women’s team and 10 from the men’s team), while UST only had 14 GC points (six from the women’s team and eight from the men’s team) after the season ended.