THE UST Male Shuttlers fell short of their semifinal bid after a stunning 1-3 loss to Ateneo de Manila University in a playoff for the last semis spot of the UAAP Season 79 men’s badminton tournament at the Rizal Memorial Stadium badminton hall Sunday.
UST will finish at fifth place for the third straight year.
With the Male Shuttlers trailing 1-2, UST’s Jan Mark Sotea and Kristian Barrios could not force a rubber match after losing the fourth game to Ateneo’s Hans Cristian Bernardo and Jan Mangubat, 12-21, 18-21.
“Nakakahinayang kasi ‘yung mga chances namin like ‘yung sa La Salle, sayang. Tapos ‘yung sa Ateneo napakawalan,” head coach Noli Cajefe said in an interview.
The Golden Shuttlers will miss the services of Sotea and team captain Paul Pantig as both had already exhausted their UAAP playing years.
“Lahat naman sila may potential. Ang problema ‘yung pagiging smart sa loob ng court,” Cajefe said. Ivan Ruiz L. Suing
