NU pulled off a flawless performance to take its second UAAP cheerdance title. Gab Victorino |
The National University Pep Squad performed a near-perfect American Indian-inspired cheerdance routine to claim its second consecutive UAAP Cheerdance Competition title at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City.
NU amassed 677.5 out of a possible 800 points to best seven other participating teams.
NU bettered its closest competitor, the UP Pep Squad, in all the criteria given in the cheering event despite having a larger point deduction.
With its second championship, NU became only the fourth team to win multiple cheerdance championships since the event started in 1994.
UP, whose theme focused on gender equality, scored a total of 658 points to finish as the first runner-up.
UP made interesting stunts as the cheerdancers switched roles in some parts of their performance.
The male dancers did the things usually done by the females, while the female members performed what their male counterparts do.
The UST Salinggawi Dance Troupe pulled off a major surprise as the team copped the third place honor with 625 points.
Salinggawi performed a Chinese-inspired cheerdance routine, and despite having four falls, the team still impressed the judges enough to overtake last year's second runner-up De La Salle Animo Squad.
The Animo Squad, who had an intergalactic themed performance, slipped to sixth place with 557 points as the team.
The Adamson Pep Squad also made a surprise as it bested FEU by only 0.5 point to take fourth place.
Adamson got 600 points, while FEU, who got error prone this year, finished with 599.5 points.
Adamson got 600 points, while FEU, who got error prone this year, finished with 599.5 points.
The UE Pep Squad placed seventh with 503 points, while the Ateneo Blue Babble Battalion settled for last place with 494.5 points.
NU won a total of PHP480,000 in cash for winning the cheering competition, while UP took home PHP200,000 and UST got PHP140,000.
FEU, despite falling out of the Top 3, did not go home empty-handed as it won in the group stunts competition.
FEU scored 258.5 out of a possible 300 points to dethrone NU in the said competition and win PHP25,000.
NU, who won last year behind a great performance from Claire Cristobal, slipped to third with 239.5 points.
UST finished in second spot with 251 points.
UP, who won the inaugural staging of the group stunts event and finished second last year, dropped out of the Top 3 as it finished fourth with 235 points.
UE placed fifth with 202.5 points, Adamson finished sixth with 192.5 points, and La Salle took the last spot with 184 points.