The UST Tiger Fencers bagged one gold and one bronze, while their female counterparts snagged one bronze on the third day of the UAAP Season 85 fencing tournament at the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion on Saturday.
The UST Tiger Fencers rose to second place with a 2-0-1 gold-silver-bronze medal haul, while the Lady Fencers remained at second place with a 1-1-2 medal tally.
The UST men’s saber team of Larco Cortez, Kurt Maruquez, Christofer Sayco and Eunice Villanueva demolished Ateneo De Manila University’s Andre Agatep, Daniel Britanico, Raphael Jimenez, and Enrico Suplico in the finals to notch UST’s lone gold, 45-24.
Tiger Fencers Cortez, Maruquez and Villanueva annihilated Ateneo, 15-3, in the last three bouts to seal the win.
“Sa men’s saber, lumabas naman ‘yung laro ng mga bata kaya nakapag-perform talaga nang maayos. Malakas talaga kami kasi meron kaming isang national team doon. Talagang handa kami ngayong araw,” UST saber coach Donnie Navarro told the Varsitarian.
In the men’s epee category, Tiger Fencers Kieth Bernal, Godwin Bolaños, Adam Maano and Christian Mira nabbed bronze after faltering against the De La Salle University’s Darylle Kumahan, Francis Dela Paz, Edam Ensamtan and Sean Razos, 36-45.
In women’s play, the foil team of Janna Catantan, Christine Esceleto, Alexandra Garcia and Andrea Lao settled for bronze after surrendering to University of the Philippines’s Marina Carbonell, Mariel Flores, Khris Manalastas and Nami Noro in the semifinalse, 40-43.
After being down by 15 in the final bout, 25-40, Lady Fencer Cantantan cut the deficit to five with 30 ticks left, 37-42, but UP’s Carbonell took advantage and drained the clock to take the semifinals spot.
In the juniors division, UST’s boys’ epee team of Nathaniel Bernal, Johann De Leon, James Dela Cruz and Paolo Salido settled for silver after succumbing to University of the East’s Ramil Encelan, Ember Gale, Von Gale and Louis Shoemaker, 27-45.
The boys’ saber team of Alberto Arce, Shiro Esteban, Dean Feliciano and Angelo Rambongga suffered a 17-45 rout from UE’s Shoemaker, Charles Babatio, Christian Concepcion and Khiane Felipe in the semifinals to win bronze.
In girls’ play, Junior Lady Fencers Lady Bathan, Patricia Daradar, Krystal Tuy and Leila Vizcayno took the bronze medal as they bowed to De La Salle Zobel’s Martina Baccay, Miyake Capina, Nicole Evans and Jholan Villapando, 42-44.
The boys’ team stayed at the third seed with a 0-2–2 medal haul, while the girls’ team slid down to second with a 2-0-2 medal tally.
The fencing tournament will end tomorrow, Feb. 26, 9 a.m., at the same venue.
