By: Justine Anne Gaerlan
DEFENDING champion National University inched closer to completing an elimination round sweep in the UAAP Season 86 Women’s Tennis tournament following a 3-2 thriller against the University of Santo Tomas on Saturday at the Felicisimo Ampon Tennis Center.
The Lady Bulldogs, who moved to a 7-0 record, will face the De La Salle University Lady Green Tennisters on Sunday for a huge momentum heading into the Finals, and it was all thanks to reigning MVP Mae Bornia and Alliah Ragunton.
The two NU seniors showcased their tenacity and rallied from a set down to produce a thrilling 3-6, 6-3, 7-5 victory against UST’s Minette Bentillo and Justine Maneja, securing the overall win for NU.
Elsie Abarquez started it off for the holders with a dominant 6-1, 6-3 work against Female Tennister Patricia Lim with a 6-1, 6-3. Angela Cabaral and Rovie Baulete survived a grueling exchange with UST’s Princess Gom-os and Miles Vitaliano, 7-6, 5-7, 7-5, for a 2-0 lead.
Rookie Kaye Emana, though, got one back for the España-based squad with a 3-6, 6-1, 6-1 turnaround against Danna Abad in the second singles match.
The UST Female Tennisters remain in second place with a 5-2 card, but will need to win against the University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons on Sunday to secure the second Finals berth outright.
UP stopped Ateneo de Manila University, 3-2, in the day’s other tie to remain alive for a second straight championship series appearance.
Anica Cari and Jonamil Prado overwhelmed Ateneo’s Zaina Omar and Tricia Howard with the doubles bagel, 6-0, 6-0, in the second doubles match, to seal the Fighting Maroons’ fourth win against three defeats.
UP captain Tricia Velez dominated Ateneo’s Chelsea Roque, 6-0, 6-1, to set the tone for her squad, but Faye Dizon leveled the playing field for the Blue Eagles by defeating Achaia Cabahug, 6-1, 6-0.
Last year’s Rookie of the Year Joshea Malazarte and Jesha Cervantes, though, reclaimed UP’s advantage with a 6-3, 6-3 work past Yam Garsin and Althea Martirez in the first doubles match to set up Cari and Prado’s clincher.
Ateneo closes out its season with a 1-7 record.
In the men’s ties, NU handed reigning men’s champions UST their second loss of the season with a hard-fought 3-2 victory.
Ibarra Ortega and Angil Balaoing grabbed a hard-fought 7-6, 6-4 win past in the second doubles match against Steven Sonsona and Symon Jaculan to gift the Bulldogs their seventh win, holding their ground in fourth place.
Meanwhile, UST stumbled to a share of the top spot in the standings at a 9-2 record with Ateneo, who turned back Unversity of the East in an earlier tie.
With the victory within reach with a 2-1 advantage, Blue Eagles’ Noy Seno rose to the occasion, overcoming UE’s Jarrell Edangga, 6-2, 6-4, to conclude the match in the Loyola-based sides’s favor and secure the overall triumph.
On the other hand, UP snapped their two-game losing streak by edging out Adamson University, 3-2, in the first tie of the day.
UP’s Karl Miguel and Jonas Silva secured a commanding victory in the first doubles match against Adamson’s Lawrence Sombreo and Reymoses Amba, 6-2, 6-1, to secure the team’s fourth victory with two matches to spare.
Out of the Final Four race, the Fighting Maroons moved to 4-7, securing fifth place in the standings.
On the other hand, the Soaring Falcons concluded their Season 86 campaign at the bottom of the standings with a 1-11 win-loss card.
