Lloyd Escoses and his Lady Tamaraws are once again peaking at the right time.
After another slow start for the season, the Far Eastern University Lady Tams’ fantastic four of Hannah Tudtud, Thea Pomar, Michal Duquilla, and Maridel Rivera have once again brought their team to a Final Four berth with a 5-0 sweep of the Adamson Lady Falcons, Saturday afternoon at the Rizal Memorial Badminton Hall in Manila City.
Sophomore Thea Pomar led the way once more for the Morayta shuttlers. In her matchup against Clydel Pada, she dominated the entire way. The Lady Tamaraw was able to secure the first set with a huge 21-8 blowout win. In the second set, Pada was able to keep pace at first to tie the score at 9-all in the early-goings. However, Pomar continued the momentum she gained in the first set to take the game and the set 21-13.
Michal Duquilla continued the romping in the second game as she faced Adamson senior, Mikaela Aquino. The Lady Tamaraw was able to gain an 11-7 lead during the interval, but Aquino was able to tie the game at 12-all. Unfortunately for the Adamsonian, Duquilla’s defense set in as she took the first set 21-17. Aquino, in the second set, was ahead for most of the game. She was able to gain a 15-10 lead before Duquilla scored eight straight points for an 18-15 lead. The Lady Tamaraw was able to build on that to take the game, 21-18.
Pomar, together with Hannah Tudtud, faced Christine Garin and Maggie Villacorta in the first double match. The tried-and-tested FEU tandem outclassed the Adamson pair in the first set. After a close 12-11 lead for the Lady Tamaraws, Tudtud and Pomar were able to break-away with a 21-15 set win. The FEU duo, then, completely romped their opponents in the second set. Tudtud and Pomar were able to secure a huge 17-8 lead that eventually led to a 21-13 rout. The match win solidified the Lady Tamaraws’ final four slot.
In the final two matches, Duquilla and Rivera faced Pada and Aquino. The FEU pair continued the rout as they demolished the Adamson pair in just 21 minutes of court time, 21-10, 21-5. Hannah Tudtud then put the icing on the cake in allowing just six points, in two sets, against Alyssa San Pedro. San Pedro was only able to put up, a season-low, two points in the first set, while scoring just four in the second, as FEU swept all five games to win the tie.
