De La Salle University (DLSU) Green Shuttlers rolled on to another victory to stay undefeated after winning over Adamson University (AdU), 4–1, Sunday morning at the Rizal Memorial Badminton Hall.
In a battle of veterans, DLSU’s Kenneth Monterubio reasserted his mastery of EJ Viloria in the first singles match. Monterubio slowly crept out of a tight battle to get to the interval first, 11–5. After the break, Monterubio flexed his muscle to take the frame, 21–13. In the second game, it was a tough battle between the two in contention. Nonetheless, it was the national mainstay Monterubio who pulled off the win, 21–19.
Adamson rookie Kevin Fabros picked the second win of his young UAAP career as he nosed out fellow newcomer Andrew Pineda. Fabros wrestled control of the start of the first game before and after the break. The two upstarts exchanged points in the tailend of the match, before the Falcon took the frame, 21–18. Fabros continued his momentum in the following game and mounted a 14–5 lead. Pineda tried to keep it close, but Adamson would not be denied of the win in the second, 21–17, to level the match.
In the first doubles match, the long-time tandem of Gerald Sibayan and Anton Cayanan of DLSU dominated Elben Concha and Viloria in straight games. DLSU led 11–4 into the first game interval, but Adamson moved to within two after the break. From there, Sibayan and Cayanan blitz past to end the game, 21–15. It was a similar story in the following canto, as Concha and Viloria breathed down the necks of DLSU. Using their experience, DLSU took the match in the second game, 21–16, to get back the tie’s lead in their favor.
Jerickson Obaob and Cayel Pajarillo then secured the second straight win for the Green Shuttlers with a victory over Joshua Antonio and Jeffrey Iquiña. Obaob and Pajarillo mounted an early 7–0 run and used this as cushion to wreck havoc in the first game. DLSU won the frame, 21–6. The veteran-rookie duo in Green and White continued to roll in the following frame. Obaob and Pajarillo led by as much as eight, never looked back, and clinched the match, 21–14.
Green Shuttlers Team Captain EJ Boac put the exclamation point after winning over Adamson’s Day one hero Gerloth Delizo in straight sets. The DLSU senior pulled through in the first frame after a tight start. Boac unravelled two five-point swings en route to taking the opening game, 21–14. DLSU continued its run in the next frame with a 6–0 start. From there, Boac blazed through as he put an end on his squad’s day with a victory, 21–13.
The Archers will try to continue their winning ways against bitter rivals Ateneo de Manila University, while Adamson will try to bounce back against the UE Red Warriors on Wednesday, September 23.
