University of the East made headway in the defense of its UAAP women’s and men’s fencing titles after the Season 85 individual events ended Friday at the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion Arena in Manila.
The 1-2 finish of Shawn Nicollei Felipe and Robert Cabaero saw the Red Warriors break the deadlock with erstwhile co-leader University of Santo Tomas into the lead in the men’s division with a 2-1-0 medal tally. Felipe took down Cabaero, 15-7, to take the 11-peat-seeking squad’s second of the season.
Felipe, the Season 82 Most Valuable in high school boys’, shared, “As of now, OK naman po kasi first UAAP ko to sa college and maganda naman yung naiwanan ko from high school. Medyo ok naman po yung game ko kahit endless po yung kaba.”
Action shifts to the team events starting Saturday, and the national team upstart believes that the Red Warriors know what to do. “Sa teams naman po, tiwala lang po sa teammates namin. Lagi lang namin sinasabi na, ‘Maglaro ka lang ng game mo, huwag mo kaming isipin’,” he added.
The Lady Warriors, on the other hand, also leapfrogged UST on the women’s side after reigning MVP Queen Denise Dalmacio took down Allysah Cantantan, 15-14, in the finals of the sabre individual.
University of the Philippines’ Juliana Gomez bagged the other gold of the collegiate division with a solid 15-10 work against De La Salle University’s Cyrra Vergara in women’s epee.
UST remains in the second spot in the men’s division, while De La Salle and Ateneo stayed tied in third place.
On the other hand, the Fighting Maroons stayed within striking distance of UE and UST for the championship in the distaff side, thanks to Gomez’s title.
University of the East kept its hold on the boys’ division after an all-UE final saw James Lim top Louis Shoemaker in foil individual, 15-13.
UST, though, snagged the lead on the girls’ side as they bagged two titles in the day with Kristal Ritz Tuy and Bhea Raguin taking down UE opponents. Tuy outwitted Adrienne Lising, 15-14, in sabre individual, while Bhea Raguin zoomed past Irish Manaois, 15-9, in epee.
