Far Eastern University (FEU) won a grand slam in the UAAP women’s football tournament, nipping De La Salle University, 3-2, in the Season 87 final on Saturday at the Rizal Memorial Stadium.
Payatas pride Regine Rebosura scored on a nifty header in the 67th minute off a high ball from Carmela Altiche to repeat her Season 85 heroics as the championship clincher.
La Salle had a chance to tie twice in the second half injury time but Tamaraw defender Lyka Cuenco and Erma Balacua blocked the dangerous attempts of Rookie of the Year/Best Striker Danielle Tanjangco and Stephanie Goñe.
“Last season, sobrang off talaga ako. Kailangan kong bumawi ngayong season kasi ayun yung hinahanap sa akin ng mga coaches. Kailangan kong bumawi, kailangan kong imotivate yung sarili ko, kailangan kong lumaban,” Rebosura, the brace scorer of the Season 85 final, said.
It was an action packed final from the start, with the Lady Tamaraws having the first crack of the goal courtesy of a set piece header by Judie Arevalo in the 28th minute.
La Sallian defender Chenny Dañoso almost immediately tied the game with a long shot off the counter in the 33rd minute.
Unfazed, the Lady Archers equalized for a second time as Maye Mendaño’s free kick flew past the goal line in the 57th minute despite a save attempt by Best Goalkeeper Yasmin Elauria.
“Yung palagi po sa aming sinasabi ng coaches namin is yung sipag po namin. Every time umakapak po kami sa field, binibigay po namin lahat. Kahit kung may lapses, kahit kung may mga kulang, alam po namin napupunaan namin through pagsisipag namin doon sa loob po,” the graduating Altiche said.
FEU’s grand slam came with all three finals against La Salle decided by one goal.
In Season 85, Rebosura goaled the winner in the 118th minute and in Season 86, it took a mifield Hail Mary from Jonela Albiño in the 112th minute for the title defense.
The three-peat was a grand sendoff for FEU’s graduating booters Altiche, Albiño, Cuenco, Erma Balacua, Janlay Fontamillas, and Best Midfielder Inday Tolentin.
“Nakaka-overwhelm kasi pangarap lang namin to makuha yung three-peat,” Tolentin, a standout of the Philippine women’s natonal football team, said.
“Ngayon nakuha namin, sobrang saya di lang para sa akin, kundi sa coaches namin at sa teammates ko. Sobrang saya namin ngayon so amin lang is sana ma-keep pa namin yung title namin ngayon. Di lang three-peat pero four, five, six(-peat) pa,” she added.
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