THE UST Golden Shuttlers missed the Final Four of the UAAP Season 78 badminton tournament at the Rizal Memorial Badminton Complex from Sept. 19 to Oct. 4.
Inexperience and mental breakdowns cost the season for the Golden Shuttlers as they failed to return to the semifinals for the third straight season.
“Pagdating sa mental, ‘medyo masasabi ko na kulang. Iyon ang [problema] namin. [Malalakas na nga ang mga kalaban] kung mahina pa ang mental doon ka lalong tatalunin,” UST head coach Noli Cajefe told the Varsitarian.
UST seemed right on track after winning two of their first three matches. But both the men’s and women’s squads went on a three-game losing streak against league heavyweights. They salvaged the last day with a combined 9-1 win over Adamson University. They ended their campaign at fifth place with a 3-4 win-loss card.
“Kaya sana naming mag-Final Four ngayon [kaso] kinapos lahat, iyon ang nakakalungkot,” Cajefe said. “Kulang talaga tayo sa tao. Kahit anong rotation, kapag kulang talaga sa tao walang, magagawa. Hanggang dun lang ang maximum.”
Of the 16 members of this year’s roster, only women’s captain Anna Patricia Barredo and Paul John Pantig had previous national team experience.
In the three of their four losses, the Male Shuttlers were leading or had the chance to steal the match. They were up 2-0 and 2-1 against De La Salle University and University of the Philippines, respectively, and were tied, 2-2, against Ateneo De Manila University, but ran out of gas in the deciding matches.
The Male Shuttlers succumbed to defending champions National University, 1-4.
The Female Shuttlers absorbed three humiliating defeats , 0-5, 0-5, 1-4. They also lost against La Salle, 2-3.
The Male Shuttlers last won the title in Season 73 while the Female Shuttlers’ lone championship was in Season 70.
With an almost-intact roster next year, Cajefe guarantees that the Male Shuttlers will bounce back next season. However, he did not assure the Female Shuttlers’ dominance.
Captain Alcaed Lee Sabanal is the only Male Shuttler who has exhausted his playing years, leaving behind veterans Pantig and John Henrick Peralta. Female Shuttlers’ veterans Victoria Vizmonte and Barredo have also completed their playing years.
