The UST Female Tennisters defeated University of the Philippines (UP), 4-1, while the Male Tennisters took down rival De La Salle University, 3-2, in the UAAP lawn tennis tournament at the Olivarez Sports Center in Parañaque City last Jan.12.
Leading the game, 2-1, the duo of UAAP Season 74 Rookie of the Year April Santos and Kim Malinis easily snatched the first set of the fourth match, 6-2. But the UST pair struggled on defense in the next frame allowing Lady Maroons Joanna Peña and Monivic Santos to force a deciding set, 2-6.
While Santos’ aggressiveness gave UST an early 2-0 advantage in the last frame, the Female Tennisters’ faulty offense allowed UP to climb back and tie the match at four. She only needed good back-up defense from Malinis to pull away for the win, 6-4.
Sophomore Lenelyn Milo rose from a 1-5 deficit in the fifth game opener to upend her UP foe in the next sets, 7-5, 6-3. Earlier, Season 74 Most Valuable Player (MVP) Macy Gonzales thwarted Nicole Eugenio in a come-from-behind fashion, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4.
The other doubles team-up of Shymae Gitalan and Genevieve Caorte walked away with the victory, 6-0, 6-3.
“It was a close game. I told them that UP is really not an easy team to beat. I expected more but what matters is that we fought hard,” coach Dennis Sta. Cruz said.
The Male Tennisters leaned on singles players John Altiche and Arn Procianos to outlast La Salle in the fourth game.
Altiche did not allow Green Archer Ernesto Pantua to steal even a set, 7-5, 7-6(1). Procianos likewise trounced Kyle Parpan, 6-4, 7-5.
The win of UST’s Joel Cabusas and Bernardine Bering in the second doubles match to wrap up the match, 6-1, 6-3.
In their season-opener last Jan. 11, the Male Tennisters walloped the University of the East, 5-0, while the Female Tennisters eluded Ateneo De Manila University, 3-2.
Procianos scored wins for UST in the singles matches, 7-6(4), 6-3, over UE’s Rodolfo Barquin, while Altiche earlier thrashed Reun Hibionada, 6-1, 6-0.
The duo of Cabusas and Bering clobbered the Warriors Jomar Medalla and Menrado Soriano, 7-5, 6-4, in the first doubles match, before BL Bering completed UST’s sweep of UE after drubbing Paulo Baran, 7-6(4), 6-3.
In the distaff side, Milo blanked Lady Eagle Darlene Tuazon, 6-0, 6-0 while the pair of Gonzales and Santos defeated Shannin Olivarez and Jonel Fernandez, 6-0, 7-6(5).
In the first singles contest, Female Tennister Danica Bautista swept Ateneo’s Jessica Lagman at 6-0, 6-3.
