LOVELY Fernandez scored two goals, leading University of Santo Tomas past Ateneo de Manila University 3-1 to maintain their UAAP Season 85 Women’s Football postseason hopes on Saturday at the UP Diliman Football Field.
Fernandez struck at the 59th and 86th minutes of the match, ensuring that the Lady Booters, who are in fourth place with 10 points behind three wins, one draw, and three defeats, are still in the mix for a finals ticket.
UST now needs to beat the University of the Philippines next Saturday at 4:30 p.m. and hope finals-bound Far Eastern University defeats De La Salle University afterward so that the España and Taft schools can compete in a playoff for the last slot in the big dance.
“Looking forward kami sa game kasi one game at a time lang,” said UST coach Aging Rubio. “Ayaw naming isipin muna yung finals. Kailangan lang namin paghandaan yung game namin against UP. Of course, masaya kami dahil buhay pa yung pag-asa namin.
“Regardless kung ano maging result ng game namin, ang kailangan lang namin paghandaan ay UP, and then after that, kung may chance pa, one game at a time lang muna,” she continued.
Before Fernandez’s second-half brace, Nathalie Absalon scored her fourth goal of the campaign to break the deadlock for UST four minutes into the match.
Ateneo’s Traci Lim scored the leveler in the 36th minute, but that was as good as it got for the Blue Eagles, who ended their season with eight straight losses and a goal difference of minus-19.
UST XI: Mahinay (GK), Ramos, Logastua, Ju Santerva, Sy, Piano, Abo-abo (C) Mosico, Absalon, Ja Santerva, Sumampong.
Ateneo XI: Lee (GK), Schroth, Tuaño, Zalamea, Avedillo (C), Francisco, Lumagui, Guerrero, Espiritu, Lim, Dolor.
