After 5 titles, UST tossers take a break

The Shakey's V-League, the country's premier volleyball tournament, suffered a major blow on Monday after defending champion University of Santo Tomas pulled out of the tournament's forthcoming second conference, leaving the league without its top and most popular team.

The second conference starts earlier this year – July 11 at The Arena in San Juan.

V-League commissioner Tony Liao announced the Tigresses' withdrawal on Monday, eleven days after the España-based tossers completed a "three-peat" championship run at the expense of the Excelroof-backed San Sebastian College.

"UST, through its coach Shaq Delos Santos, confirmed it will take a leave of absence (in the second conference)," said Liao, noting that the league has no problem with UST's decision.

"Acceptable naman ang reasons nila because players need rest and time to focus on their studies," Liao added.

UST assistant coach Vilet Ponce de Leon cited exhaustion of players as the foremost reason in their decision.

The Tigresses have joined all major volleyball competitions last year, and counting their twin V-League and University Games titles last year and the UAAP crown four months ago, they have made it five-in-a-row.

UST, the team with the most number of championships with six in span of seven years, will be skipping the League for the third time. The Tigresses also withdrew during the third season and the first conference of the fifth season.

Meanwhile, the V-league's second conference will start next month, deviating from its usual start of October to accommodate NCAA teams affected by their mother league's new tournament schedule.

The NCAA moved the volleyball games from the first semester to the second, making it impossible for San Sebastian and College of St. Benilde to join the V-League second conference.

Two teams – Perpetual Help and National University – will see action for the first time, joining the regular teams SSC, CSB, Ateneo, Lyceum, Adamson, and Far Eastern University in the fray for the coveted title.