ONCE ON top, stay on top.
The UST Tiger Paddlers are laying the groundwork for a possible UAAP dynasty after capturing their second straight title via tournament sweep last Sept. 28 at the Blue Eagle gym.
With veterans Michael Paña, Season 71 MVP Glenn Rodriguez, Aaron Morales and Christian Vicente on the firing end, UST aced its last two assignments in the final day of competition by whipping archrival Far Eastern University, 3-0, before posting identical 3-1 wins over Ateneo de Manila University and University of the East to cap its season on top.
Paña set the tone of the rout for the defending champions with a gutsy 11-4, 8-11, 9-11, 11-3, 11-2 singles spanking of Monarch Broqueza.
Rebounding from a shaky first set, Glenn Rodriguez then matched Paña’s feat with his own singles domination of Alvin Arnibal, 1-11, 11-5, 11-7, 10-12, 11-5, to give the Tiger Paddlers a commanding 2-nil set advantage.
Virtually unchallenged from the get-go, the doubles team of Aaron Morales and Christian Vicente then put the icing on the cake with an 11-5, 13-11, 14-12 set-and-kill ruse at the expense of Kenneth Martinez and Calvin Klein Guevarra.
Last Sept. 27, the Tiger Paddlers emerged victorious against the University of the Philippines (UP), 3-1, De La Salle University (La Salle), 3-1, and National University (NU), 3-0.
A week earlier, UST posted a twin 3-0 drubbing of FEU and Ateneo before cruising past UP, 3-1, to wrap up its first round campaign.
The Tiger Paddlers opened the season with a pair of game humdingers against UE (3-0) and La Salle (3-1) last Sept. 20.
“The three main keys to the team’s successful performance this season were the preseason recruitment, constant trainings, and most of all, our zealous commitment to the sport,” coach Herbert Ortalla told the Varsitarian. “Although the team had a few lax points in the tournament, we really gave our best shot in every fight.”
The Rookie of the Year plum went to UST newcomer Zoren Mendiola.
Young team
The rookie-laden Lady Paddlers, on the other hand, succumbed to pressure against more seasoned opponents which doomed their chances of at least forcing a championship play-off with reigning titlist FEU last Sept. 28.
“Pressure crept in for the rookies,” Ortalla said. “They were probably stunned by the disparity between the UAAP’s and their province’s brand of play that’s why the guts they showed during practices did not materialize in the actual games.”
Lady Paddler Joan Galang was UST’s first casualty, yielding a lopsided 4-11, 6-11, 4-11 decision to Beverly Villar.
In the second singles match, Sheryl Peralta failed to forge a 1-all tie after bowing to Maricar Jarme, 1-11, 4-11, 1-11.
The tandem of sophomore Kate Ylagan and Season 71 Rookie of the Year Princess Masong almost stole the game from FEU’s Stephanie Burda and Joanna Gabunlas but fell short in the end game, 6-11, 11-7, 11-9, 6-11, 9-11.
Before the most anticipated match between the top two teams in the women’s division, UST scraped past NU, 3-0, but fell behind UP, 2-3.
Earlier, UST absorbed its only loss in the first round against FEU which dealt the Lady Paddlers a 3-1 setback last Sept. 21.
In the opening round of the elimination phase, the Lady Paddlers prevailed over UP, Ateneo, La Salle and NU through identical 3-1 victories.
In juniors play, back-to-back champions UST posted an immaculate 12-0 sweep to fashion a three-peat. An elimination-round sweep merits an outright championship crown. J. S. Perey
Email this Article
