THE UST Tiger Shuttlers and Lady Shuttlers secured Final Four berths after outlasting the DLSU Green Shuttlers in the UAAP Season 86 badminton tournaments at the Centro Atletico Badminton Center in Cubao on Wednesday, Nov. 8.
UST notched 3-2 and 4-1 wins over La Salle for the last Final Four spots in the men’s and women’s divisions, respectively.
Tiger Shuttlers’ team captain Lennox Cuilao overpowered La Salle’s James Capin, 21-9, 21-12, while Sean de la Cruz withstood Green Shuttler James Estrada, 21-13, 19-21, 21-12, to give UST an early 2-0 advantage.
However, La Salle’s duo of Yuan Tan and Yugin Tan responded with a 21-16, 21-18 beating of Janzen Panisales and John Dizon in the first doubles match.
Cuilao banded with his fellow Tiger Shuttler Munir Bartolome in the doubles category but they were swept in reverse by Ateneo’s Joshua Morada and Joshua Cuarte, 20-22, 21-17, 21-16, to tie the match at 2-all.
In the decider, Tiger Shuttler Kyle Basilio delivered the Final Four-clinching win for UST after outlasting La Salle’s Jason Pajarillo, 21-17, 21-18.
In women’s play, Rhafi Santos and Patricia de Leon defeated La Salle’s Palma Cruz (21-17, 21-15) and Mia Manguilimotan (22-24, 21-13, 21-16) in the singles matches.
A 21-10, 21-16 win by Santos and Jen Saladaga over La Salle’s tandem of Shaynne Boloron and Kishia Dedicatoriain in the first doubles match secured UST’s semifinals seat.
De Leon teamed up with Maye Alvarez to dominate La Salle’s Cruz and Manguilimotan, 21-9, 21-12.
Ghiselle Bautista provided La Salle’s lone win, surviving Lizzy Belen, 16-21, 21-19, 21-13 in the final singles match.
UST, alongside the Ateneo Blue Eagles, NU Bulldogs, and UP Fighting Maroons, completed the semifinals casts in the men’s and women’s divisions.
The Tiger Shuttlers will face the top-seeded Ateneo Blue Eagles in the do-or-die semifinals on Friday, Nov. 10, at the same venue.
