Defending champions De La Salle University Green Paddlers become the third team this season to start the stepladder outside the top four and ended up in the Finals.
After the Far Eastern University men’s beach volleyball and Ateneo de Manila University men’s badminton teams carved out the seemingly impossible task, the Green Paddlers made it the norm this season after toppling National University twice in the semifinal round, Wednesday at the Ateneo Blue Eagle Gym.
Green Paddlers push run to five, force do-or-die with the Bulldogs
The reigning champions, buoyed by their three-tie conquest of Tuesday battles, continued their streak after shooting down the Bulldogs and forcing another tie later in the afternoon.
The Green Paddlers capitalized on a genial move, plugging number four singles player Edmar Eder against one of NU’s top players in Jun Cubio, negating any advantage for the Bulldogs.
Cubio went on to win the first singles match over Eder in straight sets, 11-6, 11-2, 11-7, but it opened up the race for La Salle to catch up.
One of the three remnants of last year’s champion squad, Jeremy Ruiz of DLSU, continued his impressive run in the postseason with a 13-11, 4-11, 11-8, 11-7 win over NU’s Mark Lester Huab.
The doubles tandem of Ralph Nones and Nathan Siasico then took the lead for La Salle with a five-set battle with CJ Carrasco and John Villalon. It was a tussle in the first two sets, but the Taft tandem dominated the deciding set with a huge 9-0 start to put the Bulldogs away for good. Nones and Siasico took the match at 11-7, 4-11, 13-11, 8-11, 11-1.
NU’s top singles player John Misal took one back for the second-seeds with a comprehensive win over Tarak Cabrido, 11-6, 11-2, 11-9.
Nevertheless, Daniel Ocon, who was also responsible of eliminating the Fighting Maroons, was in full beast mode again and swept Cloyd Villamor, 12-10, 11-7, 11-7, to sent the series to a sudden-death tie.
La Salle pierces through NU, retains title defense quest
With almost the same pairings as the morning’s tie on hand, the reigning kings of the table made sure what happened the first time would repeat itself. La Salle was able to duplicate the exact same result to complete their miracle run from being sixth after the elimination round to getting back in the Finals.
Cubio reasserted her mastery of Eder in three sets, 11-2, 11-4, 11-7, in the first singles match but Ruiz was able to bring one back to DLSU over Carrasco this time with an 11-7, 11-9, 11-8 win in the second singles.
La Sallians Nones and Siasico took down Jake Ramirez and Villalon in the doubles match in five grueling sets, 9-11, 11-7, 12-14, 11-9, 11-3, Just when NU thought they had the doubles match in the bag, the tight third set showed that DLSU was out to get the match and they eventually did.
Misal had his expected moment and won over Cabrido again, this time in extended three sets, 11-7, 12-10, 15-13.
Once more, Ocon saved the day for the Green Paddlers. Villamor only needed just one set win to stop DLSU’s spectacular run and their UAAP reign after taking the third set at 12-10. Nonetheless, the close score line once more showed that Ocon has something left in the tank.
True enough, with adreline rushing and heart pumping with the will to win, the newbie Green Paddler let it out with the 11-7, 11-8 sweep of the last two sets.
With Villamor’s slice attempt missing the table, Ocon completed La Salle’s uncanny streak to defend their title against the undefeated University of Santo Tomas Tiger Paddlers.
The Finals series between fierce arch-rivals UST and La Salle is scheduled on Wednesday, October 26 at the same venue. Ties are scheduled at 9am, 1pm, and, if necessary, 3pm.
