Heartbreaks, surprises and injuries, these were the things that played center stage during the first 3 days and these are the things that will still take center space as the women of the participating in the UAAP Season 77 Fencing Championship at the UP-College of Human Kinetics will, for the final time, raise their blades for a chance to bag the gold.
Early heartbreak: team epee
Enjoying the relative comforts of automatically entering the semis in the women’s team epee was none other than fencing powerhouses UE and UST. Despite their relative comforts, however, both teams were still on the edge as they were observed to be watching the matches of their potential enemies with DLSU or FEU for the Espana based campus and ADMU or UP for the long reigning fencing champion’s UE.
DLSU composed of individual epee bronze medallist Mikaella Castillo, May Montenegro, Justine Lim and Geraldine Tianzon along with ADMU composed of Precious Castillo, Maryrose Hernandez Andrea Ignacio and Elise Chanco were both able to triumph against there quarter finals assignment FEU, composed of Dralen Drio, Donnabelle Gaoat, Maria sanchez, and Joan Sergio, and UP, composed of Monique Aglipay, Maria Hernandez, Alecxandra Obispo and Kattia Pineda, respectively after a tiring battle that lasted till the end of regulation with the results 42-37 for the DLSU-FEU match and 35-31 for the ADMU-UP match-up.
Despite their hard fought win, however, the inevitable took place as both university rivals DLSU and ADMU eventually fell from the ladder after being dominated by the fencing powerhouses. The Taft based squad fell against their UAAP General Championship rival UST, composed of silver medallist Hanniel Abella, bronze medallist Dyren Penaflor,nGisela Rey, and Maricar Dizon after a 45-38 match while the ADMU team fared no better against UE who was once again composed of gold medallists Justine Tinio (individual foil) Keren Pangilinan (individual epee) and silver medallist Wilhelmina Lozada (individual foil) along with Kea Gonzales as they fell after a 45-28 match.
The UE all-star squad, however, went through it very own bad luck spell as they surprised not only the crowds, but also their opponents after falling victim to UST’s team after experiencing a stunning 35-45 loss to take home a disapproving silver while their opponents took home the glorious gold. Joining the two powerhouses we’re the teams they defeated, DLSU and ADMU, who both took home the bronze.
Major comeback: team sabre
UE and UST once again enjoyed the relative comforts of their ticket to the semis. Similar to their position during the morning matches, both teams were also seen to intently observe their possible opponents, FEU or DLSU for UST and ADMU or UP for UE, duel it out for the hopes of winning a gold medal themselves after the morning’s upset.
Starting out their final battle with high spirits, the FEU squad, composed April Ventura, Dolly Curiba, Eladia De Guzman, and Shaira Lanon, were able to push the DLSU squad composed of Mikaella Castillo, May Montenegro, Jianne Piguing and Geraldine Tianzon out of the medal race after a 45-29 match. The ADMU camp meanwhile also defeated their quarter finals assignment UP as the Blue Lady Fencers composed of Eugine Huibonhua, Justine Joseph, Aedia Lim and Audrey Uyan delivered a 45-37 victory against Up’s bronze medallist Irene Balatbat, Francesca Cuerdo, River Gaddi, and Leah Halili.
The victorious ADMU and FEU, however, failed to continue their positive run as they eventually lost their semis assignment 45-26 and a close 45-42 respectively to ensure another finals meet-up between the two.
UAAP Womens Team Sabre Champions: UE
The matches between the two squads, however, went through a different tune from the injury free run both team’s enjoyed as the UE squad was clearly in shellshock after witnessing their comrade take an injury to the hand. The UE team, regardless of the insurmountable odds stacked against them, however, still proved to come out on top as the combination of medallist winners Nicole Cortey, Wilhelmina Lozada, Keren Pangilinan, and Justine Tinio proved to be far too much for Kimberly camahalan, Eileen De Guzman Cherie Manago and Maylene Pailma as their match ended in a close 45-41 win for the reigning fencing women’s champion UE.
