University of Santo Tomas and De La Salle University booked their respective places in the men’s and women’s divisions’ Final Four of the UAAP Season 85 Collegiate Table Tennis Tournaments with one more day in the eliminations left, Tuesday at the Makati Coliseum.
The Tiger Paddlers boosted its bid of a three-peat with a place in the semifinals after going 9-0 in as many ties, while the Lady Green Paddlers made a step closer back to the Finals with a similar 9-0 record.
Prince Garcia took two ties for UST against Adamson University and University of the East, while third-year veteran John Michael Castro secured one against De La Salle University.
Garcia teamed with Al Sanchez to down Soaring Falcons’ Jhon Brylle Balucos and John Michael Lagorra, 11-9, 10-12, 11-3, 11-9, and then he paired with Odree Maldia in the win over Laridje Legaspi and Kevin Muriel, 11-8, 11-7, 11-6. On the other hand, Castro showed his wares in the clincher against Enric Remitio, 11-7, 11-6, 11-7.
On the women’s side, Angelou Laude continued her stellar showing in her UAAP collegiate debut, as Janna Romero also showed up for La Salle to kickstart the squad’s three wins for the day.
Laude took the first singles match against Ateneo de Manila University’s Elira Docto, 11-3, 11-4, 11-4, and the second singles rubber against Jhercy Valenzuela of UE, 11-4, 11-3, 11-4. Romero, on her part, stopped Angelica Royeca of University of the Philippines, 11-1, 11-1, 11-1.
Ateneo keeps its spot in second place at 7-2, while La Salle zoomed to third place with a 6-4 win-loss record after going 3-1 for the day.
Elijah Yamson provided the spark for the Green Paddlers in his conquest of UP’s Dirk Odian (12-10, 11-5, 11-7), Adamson’s Jed Villaviray (11-5, 11-7, 10-12, 11-7), and Far Eastern University’s Darwin Yunson (11-4, 11-8, 11-1) en route to the wins, and took DLSU’s lone win in the 1-3 defeat against UST with a marathon against Eljey Tormis, 11-8, 10-12, 12-10, 11-5.
Reigning women’s champion UST still kept its second spot at 7-2, while Ateneo and FEU are still tied at 6-3.
Lady Paddlers swept all its three ties — all on 3-0 score lines — against UE, FEU, and Adamson, with its doubles pairs completing the routs. Trystal Cagande and Kathlyn Gabisay dominated Lady Red Warriors Ma. Isabel Perez and Rica Soriano, 12-10, 8-11, 11-6, 11-5, and then washed out Lady Falcons Katherine Buendia and Allyssa Diano, 11-7, 11-13, 11-8, 11-8.
The second round concludes on Thursday starting at 8 a.m., still at the same Makati venue.
