THE UST Tiger Paddlers ended a three-year title drought while the Lady Paddlers fell short, landing second in the UAAP Season 79 table tennis finals at the Ateneo de Manila University Blue Eagle gym Tuesday.
The Tiger Paddlers swept the elimination round en route to an automatic finals slot before manhandling defending champion De La Salle University in two games for the elusive gold medal.
UST took revenge over long-time tormentors La Salle, 3-0, with big performances from Gil Ablanque, Alberto Bazar and the Norielle Pantoja-Rian Maldia duo.
In Game 1 of the finals, the same lineup trounced the Green Paddlers with a 3-0 decision.
“Speechless ako para sa men’s team. As in nagsacrifice ‘yung buong team, talagang nakitang gusto nilang manalo which is nangyari,” Tiger Paddlers head coach Jackson Que said. “I’m thankful kasi nag-ayos sila at naging united kami throughout the UAAP [season.]”
Pantoja was hailed Most Valuable Player in the men’s division.
“Binigay na lahat sa akin. Champion na tapos nag-MVP pa. Ishe-share ko sa kanila ito (award) kasi ‘di lang naman ako ‘yung naghirap tsaka ginawa talaga namin ‘yung best para makuha ‘tong championship,” Season 79 MVP Pantoja told the Varsitarian.
But the Lady Paddlers crumbled in the do-or-die Game 3 against defending champions La Salle, 2-3.
Both teams were tied at 2-all but UST’s Niña Nacasabog surrendered a heartbreaking 3-11, 11-4, 11-6, 3-11, 12-10 loss against Chantal Alberto in the clincher.
“I was really praying for Niña Nacasabog to have a miraculous game [that’s why I kept my head down,]’ I kept on reminding na, ‘Huwag bumigay at lumaban lang hanggang dulo,” said Lady Paddlers head coach Lori Wadjad, who was moved to tears after the game.
La Salle bagged the first two games and was on its way for the easy win but the Katrina Tempiatura-Rachel Parba duo and Kate Encarnacion kept UST’s hopes alive with resounding wins in the third and fourth game, respectively.
The Tiger Paddlers are the winningest team in UAAP history with 26 titles while the Lady Paddlers also have the most number of titles with 12 championships.
