THE UST Tiger Shuttlers placed fourth in the UAAP Season 86 men’s badminton tournament for the second straight year after crumbling against the UP Fighting Maroons in their bronze-medal match, 3-0, at the Centro Atletico Badminton Center in Cubao on Sunday, Nov. 12.
UST’s Sean de la Cruz faltered in the first singles match against Kervin Llanes, 21-14, 21-11, while Jelo Albo swept Tiger Shuttlers team captain Lennox Cuilao, 21-9, 21-12.
Llanes and Albo teamed up in the doubles match to complete UP’s disposal of the Tiger Shuttlers, 21-17, 21-13.
The Tiger Shuttlers capped their season with a 2-5 win-loss card while UP secured bronze with a 4-3 record.
This marked UST’s second consecutive fourth-place finish, while UP bagged back-to-back bronze medals. Both UST and UP faced each other last year where the Fighting Maroons trumped the Tiger Shuttlers in a similar battle-for-bronze matchup.
UST last won a championship 13 years ago in Season 73.
“Sa nakikita ko kailangan namin maka-recruit ng matibay at top-caliber na athletes,” UST head coach Charlie Medina told the Varsitarian. “At least na-maintain ‘yung fourth, but I hope next year na mas tumaas pa kahit one step lang.”
The Tiger Shuttlers will lose the services of De la Cruz, Basilio, and Jad Dizon next season.
