MAGTATANGKA ang UST Paddlers na wakasan ang kanilang pagkauhaw sa korona sa tunggaliang UAAP Table Tennis sa pagsisimula ng kompetisyon sa Setyembre.
Ayon kay Table Tennis coach Herbard Ortalla, hinog na ang UST para sa kampeonato at nararapat lamang na mapasakamay na muli ng mga taga-España ang titulong “Hari ng Table Tennis,” na huli nilang hinawakan noong 1996.
DESIRE is their motivating fire.
Experience wanting, the UST Lady Shuttlecockers however showed where pure talent and determination could lead them: to the Promised Land.
The Lady Shuttlecockers finally arrested 13 years of luckless campaigns in the UAAP badminton circuit, posting a 3-0 whitewash of reigning champion Far Eastern University (FEU) in their best-of-five titular showdown last February 17 at the Rizal Memorial Badminton Hall.
“Determination was the biggest factor which helped them (Lady Shuttlecockers) beat more experienced opponents,” coach Noli Cajefe told the Varsitarian. “It was the best team I have seen in a long time.”
Rochanie Decatoria began the UST carnage, unleashing an array of ground smashes and fly balls to effectively neutralize FEU’s Diosan Abangan, 21-14, 14-21, 21-15, in the first singles match.
Season 70 MVP Rose Anne Dela Cruz followed suit, essaying a 21-19, 21-14 triumph over Jovalyn Cabanero.
The UST stalwart littered the court with turnovers early in the first set but slowly inched her way back into the fight, tying the game at 19-19 before capitalizing on three crucial errors by Cabanero to seize the contest.
Sensing a Cabanero meltdown halfway into the second set, Dela Cruz then bombarded her FEU opponent with a plethora of crossover and underhand returns to ultimately wrap the second singles encounter and give UST a 2-0 edge.
In doubles play, Decatoria teamed up with Chona Medina to repulse the FEU tandem of Abangan and Cabanero, as UST dealt FEU its third upset of the day. The UST pair took care of both defense and offense, with Decatoria manning the backcourt and Medina lighting up the charts from the attack line.
Undaunted by long rallies at the onset of FEU’s comeback bid, Medina then drove home the exclamation, sending the shuttlecock on a defenseless FEU court to complete the shutout.
“They were a relatively young and inexperienced team compared with the players they had to face,” said Cajefe. “Nonetheless, they really pulled through.”
Decatoria received the Most Improved Player award for her dominating performances in the singles and doubles events.
Prior to meeting FEU in the finals, UST nipped Adamson University, 3-2, last February 16, boosting its already formidable win-lose slate to 5-0.
The Lady Shuttlecockers also aced their previous assignments with similar gusto, coming out victorious against UP (3-2), Adamson (3-2), De La Salle University (3-2), National University (5-0) and University of the East (5-0).
“Whenever they are playing, I always advise them to just enjoy what they are doing to lessen the pressure,” said Cajefe. “But that doesn’t mean that they should lose focus on the goal at hand.”
Jilted anew
In men’s action, disposing Adamson via a 5-0 outcome was not enough to salvage a podium finish for the Male Shuttlecockers, who finished the tournament with a 3-3 win-lose record.
“There were a strong team and could have been at par with their opponents, pero kulang lang talaga sa lakas ng loob,” Cajefe said.
Against Adamson, Kevin Dalisay set the tone of the rout, thrashing Joel Pechera, 21-5, 21-10. Paolo Dawal complimented his teammate’s first-game exploits with a 21-9, 21-12 bashing of Cate Mawon.
Dalisay then conspired with Emmanuelle Garcia in the first doubles match to turn back Pechera and Kim Francisco, 23-21, 21-5.
Dawal returned to the court anew, this time with partner Renz Vivaz in the second doubles pairing to extend UST’s lead to 4-0 (21-13, 21-15). Ericden Dionisio hammered the final nail on Adamson’s coffin after managing a decisive third-set win over Francisco, 21-16, 18-21, 21-9.
In previous games, the Male Shuttlecockers escaped UP (3-2) and Ateneo De Manila University (3-2) but suffered heavily against La Salle (1-4), FEU (1-4) and UE (1-4).
