After a slow-start by Jesschard Piol and eventual loss to Jerome Pechera, the line-up of Paul John Pantig, John Mark Sotea, Matt Tungul, Patrique Magnaye and Alaced Sabanal would whip the Adamson Soaring Falcons in 8 combined sets to win the series 4 to 1.
Men’s Singles Match 1: Jerome Pechera (AdU) def. Jesschard Piol (UST), 2:0
UST 0 – 1 AdU
Jerome Pechera took advantage of a flat-footed Jesschard Piol in the first set. Pechera would take a commanding 19-7 lead at one point of the set because of missed returns from the UST shuttler. Piol would only manage to score 8 points in the first set, majority of which were errors from the side of Pechera. The second set saw a much different Jesschard Piol. He was a lot looser and seemed to find his game. Piol would gain a 10-4 lead over Pechera with a series of excellent returns and a service score. Pechera would then bounce back and tie the set at 16 apiece. The set would then go to the advantage points. Pechera would go on to win the set 21-23 and the match.
Aggregate Score: Piol 29 – Pechera 44
Total Match Time: 36 mins.
Men’s Singles Match 2: Paul John Pantig (UST) def. EJ Villoria (AdU), 2:0
UST 1 – 1 AdU
EJ Villoria was the silver lining to AdU’s loss during the first day of the tournament. He was looking to replicate his performance and to ride the momentum his team mate Jerome Pechera brought to the squad. It was not meant to be however as John Paul Pantig swept both sets, including a 1st set romping of Villoria 21 – 10.
Aggregate Score: Pantig 42 – Villoria 29
Total Match Time: 30 mins.
Men’s Doubles Match 1: John Mark Sotea and Matt Gerald Tungul (UST) def. Johnric Macabenta and Jerome Pechera (AdU), 2:0
UST 2 – 1 AdU
The first set was close all trough-out with the UST duo of Sotea and Tungul escaping with a 21 to 19 win over Macabenta and Pechera. The set was filled with long rallies and 7 ties. The2nd set however was a complete domination by the team from Espana. Jerome Pechera, clearly fatigued and exhausted at this point, could not keep with the quick pace set by Matt Tungul, who would always direct his shots at Pechera. The 2nd set got out of hand with the tandem from UST leading 14 to 5. It would never get close as UST wins the set 21 to 10 to give UST a 2 to 1 lead in the series.
Aggregate Score: Sotea (21) and Tungul (21) 42 – Macabenta (16) and Pechera (13) 29
Total Match Time: 30 mins.
Men’s Doubles Match 2: Patrique Magnaye and Paul John Pantig (UST) def. Keith Reyes and EJ Viloria (AdU), 2:0
UST 3 – 1 AdU (UST wins)
Paul John Pantig would continue his mastery over the Adamson Soaring Falcons with an overall dominant performance in two sets over the Adamson tandem of Reyes and Viloria. The coach of the Falcons and the players had no answer for Pantig in two sets as he was able to find his way with every smash and drop. The tandem of Pantig and Magnaye would win both sets 21-17 and 21-16.
Aggregate Score: Magnaye (15) and Pantig (27) 42 – Reyes (20) and Viloria (13)
Total Match Time: 30 mins.
Men’s Singles Match 3: Alaced Lee Sabanal (UST) def. Johnric Macabenta (AdU), 2:0
UST 4 – 1 AdU (UST wins)
Alaced Sabanal cruised through the first set of his match against Johnric Macabenta with a score of 21 to 14. The match started with Sabanal leading 5-1 that eventually became 11-3 during the one-minute break. Macabenta could not find his groove in the first set as he committed various short returns in the set. Sabanal would win the set 21 to 14. The second set would see the shuttler from the Falcons side go point-by-point with his opponent. The set would close and even saw Macabenta be two points away from getting the set. It was Sabanal’s closing instincts as he would close the set with a 3 point spurt, including a smash, to close out the match. Sabanal sweeps Macabenta 2 sets to none.
Aggregate Score: Sabanal 42 – Macabenta 33
Total Match Time: 22 mins.
Aggregate Sets Won: UST 8 – 2 AdU
