The UST Teletigers opened their UAAP Season 89 esports campaign with a 1-1 draw against the Adamson Soaring Falcons in Valorant on Sunday, Aug. 16, at the MVP Studios in Mandaluyong City.
After losing the opening map, Lotus, 13-6, the Teletigers bounced back on Split, edging Adamson, 13-10, to clinch the tie.
“Since rookies nga, kinabahan ‘yong mga players, so possible na kaya medyo nangalawang kami, kasi kinapa muna namin,” UST Valorant team captain Miguel Gumaru told the Varsitarian.
“We’re expecting a bounce back na 2-0 in all matches na natitira, since we’re really confident with this team—chemistry and everything,” he added.
Adamson dominated the opening map early, racing to a 6-0 lead on Lotus. Gumaru finally put UST on the board in the seventh round, cutting the deficit to 6-1.
Gumaru then secured another round for the Teletigers with a double kill and spike defuse to make it 8-2. Adamson responded with a 4-4 exchange before extending its lead to 12-6.
The Soaring Falcons closed out the map with a 6-5 run, capped by Jhiemart Muto’s triple kill and spike defuse, to take Lotus, 13-6.
Gumaru finished the first map with 13 kills, 14 deaths and five assists.
Adamson opened Split with a 2-0 lead behind four kills from Muto before the teams traded rounds and eventually reached a 5-all deadlock.
Trailing 10-6, the Teletigers mounted a comeback as Nathan Mantua, Chan and Gumaru eliminated the remaining Adamson players to tie the map at 10-all.
Chan followed with two kills and a spike plant, setting up EJ Navarro to eliminate Justin Mangguing and give UST its first lead of the tournament, 11-10.
At match point, the Teletigers controlled the entrance in Round 22, with Edgar Cunanan and Navarro securing kills. After mid-round exchanges left Mantua in a one-on-one duel with Adamson’s Mangguing, Mantua landed the deciding kill to seal UST’s 13-10 win on Split.
Navarro led UST in Game 2 with 23 kills, 19 deaths and 19 assists, along with a 284 average combat score.
The Teletigers will next face the UE Zenith Warriors at the same venue on Monday, Aug. 17, at 3 p.m. Allanee Raye C. Valeriano with reports from Joachim Nigel Z. Tanglao
