Unstoppable La Salle Lady Archers seal UAAP Football three-peat

The queens of the UAAP Women’s Football Tournament have extended their reign on their thrones.

Thanks to goals from Maye Mendaño and Shai del Campo, the De La Salle University Lady Archers emerged victorious over the Far Eastern University Lady Tamaraws, 2-0, Thursday afternoon at the Rizal Memorial Stadium in Manila to annex the UAAP Season 81 Women’s Football championship.

It is La Salle’s third straight title, and it enables the Taft-based school to become the most successful program in the division with 11 championships.

“It’s not easy being on top (because) everybody wants to beat you and then they are the only unbeaten team this season. So I understand the pressure was there. This is the lousiest first half they ever played the whole season. All they needed to do was to get back their confidence,” said La Salle coach Hans-Peter Smit.

La Salle dominated the first half but a combination of good defending from FEU’s and routine stops by their goalie Kim Pariña prevented the likes of Irish Navaja, Sara Castañeda and Dimples Tejada from breaking the deadlock.

The Lady Archers then finally scored a goal eight minutes after the restart. La Salle had a free kick deep in FEU territory, which Castañeda then took. Mendaño then headed the national team player’s delivery into the Lady Tamaraws’ net.

Mendaño’s goal opened the floodgates and demoralized the Lady Tamaraws. Her fellow rookie Del Campo then performed a marvelous chip in the 79th minute to seal the trophy for the Green and White.

“We don’t think of streaks. We just go by one game at a time. It so happens we haven’t lost… and the three-peat is an extra bonus. Now, I forget this now (since) I’m thinking about next year already because I have seven or nine (players) graduating. So back to the old drawing board and think about next year,” added Smit.

FEU XI: Belluga, Caw-It, Chinedo, Fornea, Lam, Lecera, Onrubia, Pachejo ©, Pariña, Sudaria, Velasco.

DLSU XI: Castañeda, Concepcion, Del Campo, Delos Reyes, Dimaandal ©, Hodges, Lacson ©, Mendaño, Montelibano, Navaja, Tejada.