Ateneo de Manila University advanced to its fourth straight UAAP Collegiate Men’s Table Tennis Finals appearance, fending off Far Eastern University’s Cinderella run, 3-2, in the Season 88 Stepladder Semifinals on Thursday at the Amoranto Sports Arena in Diliman, Quezon City.
Graduating senior Wrency Abad steered the Blue Eagles into another championship showdown against the reigning five-time champions, University of Santo Tomas Tiger Paddlers, with an 11-8, 11-4, 11-6 sweep of Dane Piala in the deciding singles match in this tournament backed by Huaching Foundation and Topcoms Marketing Inc.
“Ang mindset ko lang is magtiwala sa teammates na kahit umabot pa sa likod, sa ‘kin, handa akong makipaglaban kahit anong mangyari. Kasi nga, this is a ‘One big fight’ for Ateneo,” said the 22-year-old from Ilocos Sur.
FEU and Ateneo traded victories in the semifinal, with Tamaraw Peter Shean Cubio and Blue Eagle Andree Garcia splitting the first two singles matches.
Cubio defeated Mahendra Cabrido, 11-7, 11-8, 6-11, 11-9, while Garcia bested Christian Golez, 11-9, 4-11, 11-8, 12-10.
Rookies CJ Yamson and Gabriel Docto put Ateneo in the lead with an 11-4, 12-10, 11-8 win over Claer Riego and Louis Sacay.
However, Renz De Guzman leveled the match with an 11-5, 11-9, 11-7 sweep of Andrew Uy, setting the stage for Abad’s heroics.
(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team
FEU, which started the season with a 3-0 record, struggled to a 5-7 finish in the elimination round but regained form in the playoffs, scoring three straight victories against University of the Philippines (3-1), De La Salle University (3-2), and Adamson University (3-0) to claim the bronze.
Cubio opened FEU’s playoff run by denying Dirk Odian of the Fighting Maroons, 12-10, 8-11, 17-19, 15-13, 11-6.
UP’s Luigi De Asis drew first blood with an 11-7, 10-12, 11-6, 11-7 win over Piala, though it would be the team’s last victory in the event.
Golez followed with an 11-9, 12-10, 9-11, 11-9 win over Harvey Nieva, while Riego and Sacay put FEU ahead with a 10-12, 8-11, 12-10, 12-10, 11-9 reverse sweep of Mark Aguilar and Benzdio Florida.
De Guzman then secured the decisive win against DLSU, 11-4, 12-10, 11-8 over Kurt Villacruel, preventing a reverse sweep in the team match.
The Tamaraws opened a 2-0 lead with Cubio and Golez defeating Dino Marcelo (11-9, 11-6, 11-6) and Red Torres (11-6, 11-8, 5-11, 13-15, 11-6), but Ateneo responded in the next two matches.
Joseph Noriega Jr. and Peter Angelo Zambrano beat Riego and Darwin Yunson, 11-4, 8-11, 12-10, 11-8, while Reyan Reg forced the decider with a win over Piala, 11-6, 11-5, 11-6.
Against Adamson, Cubio and Golez secured wins over Amiel John Aroma (11-9, 11-5, 11-8) and Manuel Apura Jr. (11-6, 11-7, 5-11, 11-5).
Riego sealed the podium finish with a 10-12, 11-8, 11-9, 11-5 victory over Jhon Balucos and Aldrean Gacho.
(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team
Meanwhile, reigning collegiate women’s champion UST kept its hopes of defending the crown alive with a 3-2 win over rival DLSU.
Rookie Kaye Manada turned back Shyrein Redoquerio, 13-15, 11-7, 11-5, 11-6 in the deciding singles match.
The Lady Tiger Paddlers recovered from a 1-2 deficit as Lady Green Paddlers Angel Laude and the doubles pair of Cello Caoile and Sharina Mendoza negated Kaye Encarnacion’s opening win.
Encarnacion had initially given UST the lead with an 11-7, 17-15, 11-9 sweep of Kyle Cielo Bernaldez.
Laude quickly defeated Janna Mae Paculba, 11-5, 11-8, 11-2, while Caoile and Mendoza outlasted Samantha Bandojo and Jaylyn Valencia, 11-7, 7-11, 11-2, 7-11, 11-7.
Last year’s Rookie-MVP Althea Gudes leveled the contest with an 11-6, 11-8, 11-8 win over Lillian Ebora.
(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team
The Lady Green Paddlers ended the season with the bronze after a 3-1 finish over the Blue Eagles in the first round of the stepladder.
Bernaldez secured the podium with an 11-4, 11-7, 11-5 win over Andrea Deondo, despite a setback in the doubles match.
Ebora stunned Jelaine Monteclaro, 12-10, 5-11, 11-7, 11-9, and Laude finished off Elira Therese Docto, 11-1, 11-4, 11-8, giving DLSU a 2-0 cushion.
Nicole Alemania and Sophia Fabregar kept Ateneo in contention with an 11-5, 10-12, 11-8, 11-9 win over Caoile and Mendoza, but Bernaldez ultimately sealed the tie for the Lady Green Paddlers.
