THE UST Tiger and Lady Shuttlers nabbed the remaining Final Four spots in the UAAP Season 87 men’s and women’s badminton tournaments, surviving the DLSU Green Shuttlers to close out the eliminations at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex Badminton Hall on Sunday, Oct. 27.
Both UST teams ended with 2-3 win-loss records and eliminated their DLSU counterparts.
UST head coach Charlie Medina rued the Tiger and Lady Shuttlers’ rough start but expressed satisfaction with how they managed to pull through in the end.
“‘Yong mga nakaraan, medyo nag-struggle talaga kami,” Medina told the Varsitarian.
“At least naipakita talaga nila na gusto nilang manalo sa loob ng court kaso La Salle din naman, mahirap din naman talagang kalaban,” he added. “Talagang nagtyaga kaming makakuha ng puntos. Every point is important for us.”
The Tiger Shuttlers edged out the Green Shuttlers in men’s play, 3-2.
UST captain Lennox Cuilao bucked a slow start before eventually clawing DLSU’s Joshua Cuarte, 11-21, 21-17, 21-16. UST’s Haroun Sarmiento thwarted Green Archer James Capin to secure the second singles match, 18-21, 21-19, 21-18, giving UST the 2-0 advantage.
However, the Tiger Shuttlers’ duo of Vianney Miraflor and Cuilao failed to close out the game in the third match, succumbing to the DLSU’s Joshua Morada and Yuan Tan, 21-19, 19-21, 21-17.
The Green Archers stayed alive courtesy of Cuarte and Zaki Layno’s 21-16, 21-14 sweep of Tiger Shuttlers Ron Galve and Sarmiento.
With their Final Four chances on the line, Tiger Shuttler Ivan Tuazon swept Joshua Fajilan, 21-10, 21-12, to punch their semifinals ticket at the expense of DLSU.
In women’s play, the Lady Shuttlers punched their Final Four ticket in dominant fashion, routing DLSU, 4-1.
Lady Shuttler Patricia De Leon managed to pull off a reverse sweep of DLSU’s Ghiselle Bautista, 15-21, 21-18, 21-16, while UST’s Reshane Nicor took down Green Archer Zashca Tuario, 19-21, 24-21, 21-13.
In women’s doubles, UST’s De Leon and Marielle Alvarez clinched the semis spot, routing DLSU’s Mia Manguilimotan and Viana Antonio, 21-17, 21-17.
Jennifer Saladaga and Rhafi Santos cruised past DLSU’s Bautista and Jacqueline Pantoja in the next match (21-9, 21-11), but UST’s Angelina Vitangcol could not complete the sweep against Vianna Antonio (21-10, 21-19).
Medina hopes for a better showing in the Final Four this season.
“Last year, nag-Final Four din naman kami, pero this time, kailangan pa namin ma-maintain ‘yong patience namin sa rally talaga. Alam kong gusto nilang manalo; gusto naming manalo,” the coach said.
“Hangga’t may pressure at hindi nila ma-handle ‘yong sarili nila sa mga shots nila, hindi kami mananalo, hindi kami makakakuha. So, ang talagang unang kalaban dyan ay sarili plus ‘yong diskarte namin sa court.”
The UST Tiger Shuttlers will face Season 86 second runners-up NU Bulldogs at the same venue on Tuesday, Oct. 29, at 8 a.m.
Meanwhile, the UST Lady Shuttlers will face the UP Fighting Maroons on the same date and venue at 1 p.m. Venerando P. Pagaduan VII with reports from James Michael M. Magboo
