THE UST Tiger Fencers fell short of a three-peat in UAAP men’s saber as they conceded the title to the UE Red Warriors in the Season 87 fencing tournament at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum on Thursday, April 24.
Tiger Fencers Larco Cortez, Lyon Fernandez, Ricardo Fuenzalida, and Eunice Villanueva settled for silver, losing to UE’s Charles Babatio, Christian Conception, Shawn Felipe, and Louis Shoemaker, 45-37.
Meanwhile, in men’s epee, Kieth Bernal, Adam Maaño, Adam Putian, and Christian Sarmiento settled for bronze after falling to UE, 45-34.
“Siyempre, nanghihinayang, kasi konti na lang nando’n na kami e; panalo na sana,” UST saber coach Donnie Navarro told the Varsitarian. “May kaba talaga, pero nakikita ko naman sa mga naglalaro na binibigay nila ‘yong best nila. ‘Yon lang, medyo kulang pa kaya dagdagan lang lalo ‘yong training.”
In women’s foil, Lady Fencers Janna Catantan, Patricia Daradar, Ruby Sardenia, and Krystal Tuy lost steam in the final bout and settled for silver against UP.
With UST down 40-34 in the eighth bout, Catantan tried to turn things around, scoring seven points against UP’s Mariel Flores, but it was not enough as the Fighting Maroon tamed the SEA Games medalist en route to the gold, 42-41.
Meanwhile, in boys’ epee, Junior Tiger Fencers Nathaniel Bernal, Reynaldo de Guzman, John Malinao, and Ian Miranda avenged UST’s defeat last season, trouncing defending champion UE Junior Warriors to strike gold, 45-37.
UST’s Ranzel Aberilla, Alberto Arce, Antonio Baydid, and Eilrahc Sendico added a bronze medal in the boys’ sabre category. In girls’ play, Lady Bathan, Marian Castro, Anne David, and Aila Sison also won third place in the foil event.
With one more day left, UST leads the women’s division with a 2-2-1 gold-silver-bronze medal tally. It sits at fourth in the men’s division with a 0-2-2 tally.
In the boys’ division, UST ranks second with a 1-1-4 tally, while UE has clinched its 13th straight title with a 4-2-2 slate. Meanwhile, the Junior Lady Fencers also rank second with a 1-1-1 tally.
“Gano’n pa rin naman, training lang nang training. Kailangan magsipag at kailangan mas makikinig talaga sa coach,” Navarro said.
UST will wrap up its Season 87 campaign at the same venue Friday, April 25, starting at 9 a.m. Joaquin Edgardo E. Cortez
