University of Santo Tomas carried over their momentum from the previous season, completing perfect 6-0 sweeps in the first round of the UAAP Season 88 High School Table Tennis tournament for both the girls’ and boys’ divisions on Sunday at the Amoranto Sports Arena in Diliman, Quezon City.
The Junior Lady Paddlers, led by reigning back-to-back MVP J-An Sanchez, finished the first round in style with a 3-0 sweep of perennial rivals De La Salle Zobel Junior Lady Green Paddlers, following a 3-2 victory over the University of the East Junior Lady Red Warriors, in this tournament backed by Huaching Foundation and Topcoms Marketing Inc.
On the boys’ side, last year’s MVP Jebb Datahan guided the Junior Tiger Paddlers to dominant wins, defeating the UE Junior Red Warriors and Adamson University Baby Falcons, both by 3-0 margins.
“Yung ginawa lang po namin is mag-pray; humingi kami ng guidance kay Lord. Tapos tinibayan lang namin ‘yung communication sa team, and palagi lang kaming nandyan to cheer each other up. Nagtiwala lang talaga kami sa isa’t isa,” said Sanchez on the squad’s mindset in defending their title despite being a mix of fresh talents and holdovers.
Sanchez opened the win over UE with a comfortable 11-2, 11-6, 11-8 victory over Apilo, before Agreda secured the contest with an 11-6, 11-4, 11-7 win against Resala Balamal.
Agreda claimed her second win of the day over DLSZ’s Velasco, 11-9, 12-10, 11-6.
Banojo and Manay completed the first-round sweep for UST with an 11-8, 11-5, 11-6 victory over Embile and Odelmo.
The UE Junior Lady Warriors remained in second place with a 4-1 record, followed by the DLSZ Junior Lady Green Paddlers at 3-2.
Last year’s finalist Adamson is fourth at 2-3, while the University of the Philippines Integrated School (1-4) and Ateneo (0-5) completed the girls’ standings.
(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team
Meanwhile, Datahan flexed his dominance in the boys’ division with two wins over counterparts from UE and Adamson.
The 18-year-old MVP defeated Junior Red Warrior Jomar Endaya, 11-8, 11-3, 11-6, then helped UST secure the win over Adamson with an 11-8, 11-6, 15-13 victory over Marcuz Chavez.
Anton Bayona and Lawrence Cuaycong closed the day with an 11-7, 11-1, 11-13, 11-4 win against Baby Falcons Seph Estrada and Rodel Millana, preserving UST’s perfect 6-0 record while keeping themselves unbeaten in matches at 15-0.
Adamson secured second place with a 4-1 record, ahead of UE at 3-2. DLSZ followed at 2-3, while Ateneo (1-4) and UPIS (0-5) rounded out the boys’ standings after the first round.
