The UST Golden Shuttlers finished fourth in the UAAP Season 85 men’s badminton tournament after falling to the University of the Philippines, 3-1, at the Centro Atletico Badminton Center on Sunday, Nov. 13.
Golden Shuttler Sean Dela Cruz outlasted Kevin Llanes in the singles match, 21-10, 12-21, 21-15, to snag UST’s lone win.
UP’s national player Jewel Albo and Jason Vanzuela dominated UST’s team captain Lanz Ramirez and Francis Sarmiento, 21-15, 21-17.
Albo swept UST’s Kyle Basilio, 21-10, 21-17.
Janzen Panisales and Ron Galve bowed down to UP’s Enzo Rivera and Kervin Llanes after a three-set thriller, 21-19, 12-21, 21-23.
The Golden Shuttlers ended their season with a 2-4 win-loss record while UP bagged the bronze with a 4-2 standing.
The last time UST won the men’s badminton championship was 12 years ago in UAAP Season 73 under then-head coach Noli Cajefe.
UST’s fourth-place finish, which was the team’s best since Season 80, was achieved under first-time head coach Charlie Medina.
“Maybe it is not yet our time but we did our very best till the end. The Tiger Shuttlers will come back to win this fight,” she said in a Facebook post. Bjorn Del B. Deade
