The UST Lady Paddlers failed to defend their UAAP title after bowing down to the De La Salle University Lady Archers, 0-2, in the best of three finals of the Season 85 women’s table tennis tournament at the Makati Coliseum on Saturday.
UST succumbed to DLSU in the first game, 1-3, before they got swept in the second game, 3-0.
UST rookie Kaye Encarnacion and Emery Digamon submitted to Angelou Laude and Jannah Romero, who qualified for the 2022 and 2019 Southeast Asian Games respectively, in singles play.
UST’s duo of team captain Ciara Derecho and Kathlyn Gabisay pounded Jhoana Go and Mariana Caoile, 11-5, 12-10, 11-5, to give UST its lone win, before Julie De Leon lost to DLSU’s Kyla Bernaldez in the last singles match of game 1, 4-11, 4-11, 8-11.
In the second game, UST’s Leigh Villanueva succumbed to Kyla Bernaldez, 10-12, 12-10, 7-11, 8-11, before Digamon fell to DLSU’s Laude, 7-11, 11-8, 3-11, 3-11.
The Derecho-Gabisay tandem failed to conquer DLSU’s Go and Caoile this time, 4-11, 4-11, 12-10, 9-11, as the Lady Archers nabbed the gold.
UST head coach Lorinda Wadjad said she was satisfied with the result of the Lady Paddlers’ Season 85 campaign.
“Not bad for me. Not bad. I’m still thankful kahit second place. Talagang ganon, bilog ang bola. At least triny naman ng mga bata na manalo, ” she told the Varsitarian.
In the juniors division, UST’s girls’ team notched the gold medal as they ousted the De La Salle-Santiago Zobel School in the finals, 2-0.
Junior Paddler Althea Gudes took home the Most Valuable Player and Rookie of the Year award. Bjorn Del B. Deade
