Strong smashes, quick returns, and agile footwork, these seemed to be the factors that ultimately resulted in the undoing of the DLSU Lady Tennisters against the NU Lady Bulldogs in the 2nd powerhouse match up for the women’s division of the UAAP Tennis Championship last January 24.
Coming out of their close 2-3 loss against tennis rival UST, the Taft-based campus seems to be experiencing their tragic round 1 fall as they extend their loss to two at the hands of incumbent tennis champions NU.
Starting the unrelenting assault of the NU Lady Bulldog was none other than Clarice Patrimonio who dispatched Lasallian tennis star Marinel Rudas in a tense three set match up which resulted in a 6-3, 3-6, 6-4 for the NU Lady Bulldogs. Contributing the assault in the singles matches was Clarice’s sister, Christine Patrimonio who also clipped of the wings of yet another Lasallian ace tennister Rachelle de Guzman in yet another close match which ended 6-3, 6-4.
The loss of Rudas and de Guzman ultimately proved to have paved the way for NU to clinch the first 5-0 sweep for the season. The victories of Patrimonio sisters were soon followed by the finals single competitor Hannah Espinosa who deafeats DLSU Janina Luis in a quick 6-0, 6-1 match.
In the doubles category the unrelenting assault continued as the NU Lady Bulldogs continued to fire all its cannons regardless of an initial scare brought by the doubles team of Ana Bienes and Marie Nagret who ended their game in an initially close 7-5, 6-2 victory against Nikki Arandia and Princess Castillo. The second duo of Jzash Canja and Jennelyn Polito, however, faced a less tense confrontation against DLSU’s Jenni Dizon and Lynette Palasan who regardless of their efforts could not stop the duo of Canja and Polito from leaving with a 6-0, 6-3 victory.
The loss of the the DLSU Lady Tennisters effectively placed them at third while the NU Lady Bulldogs now sits at 2nd behind UST.
