THE TIGER Paddlers scored an impressive 1-2 finish in the National Table Tennis Tournament last April 28 to 30 at the LCC Mall Activity Center, Legazpi, Albay.
The UST-Philippine National Police (PNP) pair of former UST team captain Michael Paña and former Tiger Paddlers’ head coach Richard Gonzales won the championship road and the P15,000 top prize after crushing the duo of Randy Lavendia and Lauro Crisostomo of the Metro Table Tennis Association (Metta), 2-1, in the final round of the men’s division.
After Gonzales’ setback in the first singles match against Crisostomo (6-11, 10-12, 8-11), Paña immediately avenged the loss of his former mentor, sending the orange comet down Lavendia’s part of the table, 11-9, 11-9, 11-7, to level the set at one match apiece. Gonzales and Paña, who endured two tough sets before launching the final blast in the third and final match, won over the Metta duo, 11-9, 11-9, 11-7.
Henberd Ortalla, national team coach and the Paddlers’ chief tactician, praised Paña’s drives, describing them as superior to other opponents.
“I expected that Mike (Paña) can execute his drives beautifully, it was already expected of him being the former captain of our squad,” said Ortalla.
Earlier in the tournament, Ortalla and Junior Paddlers head coach Celjun Ortalla lost their respective second-round matchups against Makati Panthers’ Peter Francisco and Robert Palermo. Celjun Ortalla came up short in a five-set thriller against Francisco, 11-2, 6-11, 4-11, 11-3, 9-11, while Henberd Ortalla also lost to Palermo in four sets, 13-11, 8-11, 9-11, 9-11.
Coming up short
In the women’s division, the Lady Paddlers settled for second- and third-place finishes in the off-season tournament.
The UST Lady Paddlers-B settled for a runner-up finish against the Makati Panthers, 1-2, in the pulsating championship showdown. The finish was good enough for a P5,000 cash prize.
Girly Apas of UST-B lost control of the match after Aileen Armando rallied from two sets down to claim the first match in a come-from-behind frenzy, 11-7, 11-6, 5-11, 7-11, 6-11. The win gave the Panthers a 1-0 match lead.
“It was two straight sets for Girly (Apas), but she slowed down a bit. Girly’s opponent did not do anything to improve her play,” Ortalla said. “That is unacceptable in the UAAP.”
Karmela Rosero set things off for the España paddlers, sending power drives against Mercury Paña to clinch an 11-6, 11-3, 7-11, 11-2 conquest.
The Rosero-Apas duo, however, succumbed to a straight-set beating in the doubles match, 5-11, 4-11, 12-14, after failing to complete a late-game run in the third set against the seasoned players from Makati.
“The girls’ losses are okay. l think that’s normal.” Ortalla said. “Their opponents just had more experience and more wit in playing the game.”
Meanwhile, the UST Lady Paddlers-A aced the battle-for-third matchup against the University of Nueva Caceres (UNC), 2-1.
Season 73 Rookie of the Year V Lupeba drilled the first assault against the UNC’s Dianna Abella, 11-7, 13-11, 11-6, giving UST-A a 1-0 binge.
In the second singles match, UAAP Season 71 Rookie of the Year Princess Masong failed to capitalize on her one-to-nil advantage, yielding to UNC’s Adelfa Bobijes, 9-11, 7-11, 16-14, 5-11, for the equalizer.
The Thomasian tandem of Lupeba and Rachel Anne Mendoza eventually ruled the final match against the Abella-Bobijes pair en route to an 11-8, 1—6, 11-7 triumph, claiming the third place with a 3,000 peso prize.
“V (Lupeba) for me is the most improved player of the roster,” Ortalla said. “Her drives have really improved since the UAAP season.”
