THE UST Tiger Paddlers barged into the Final Four after grabbing four wins on the first day of the UAAP Season 86 men’s table tennis second round at the Amoranto Sports Complex in Quezon City on Tuesday.
The Tiger Paddlers breezed past Adamson University (3-0), De La Salle University (3-1), Ateneo (3-1) and the University of the Philippines (3-0) to solidify their hold of the top spot with an unblemished 10-0 win-loss record.
“Nakakatuwa naman na nanalo tayo nitong four games na ‘to,” UST head coach Jackson Que told the Varsitarian. “Pero, still meron pa rin kailangan na adjustments kasi nag-a-adjust din ang mga opponents natin.”
The Tiger Paddlers stretched their winning streak to 26 games with two matches left in the elimination round.
UST zoomed to two wins against the Soaring Falcons after Alvin Sevilla and Eljey Tormis defeated Soaring Falcons Mark Orbong (11-6, 7-11, 11-9, 11-6) and Niko Pineda (11-3, 11-6, 11-6).
UST’s duo of Paul Antivo and Al J Sanchez toppled Adamson’s tandem of Jhon Balucos and Aldrean Gacho, 11-7, 3-11, 11-8, 6-11, 11-7.
In UST’s second match against DLSU, Sevilla made quick work of Dino Marcelo, 11-8, 11-2, 11-5, while Tiger Paddler John Castro outlasted DLSU’s Elijah Yamso, 9-11, 11-9, 6-11,11-9, 11-7.
However, the Antivo-Sanchez duo failed to close out the match, absorbing an 11-1, 9-11, 11-5, 9-11, 11-6 loss to Green Paddlers Christian Crisostomo and Marwin Eder.
Tormis sealed the deal for UST with an 11-9, 11-2, 11-3 thwarting of DLSU’s Andrei Villacruel.
The Tiger Paddlers continued their winning ways against Ateneo as Castro and Tormis swept Blue Eagles Zherdel Fresco (11-9, 11-4, 11-8) and Andrew Uy (11-5, 11-6, 11-4) in the first two singles matches.
However, Antivo and Sanchez dropped their doubles match as they succumbed to Ateneo’s duo of Wrency Abad and Victor de Asis, 11-9, 7-11, 7-11, 3-11.
Sevilla iced the victory for UST after outmuscling Blue Eagle Mahendra Cabrido, 9-11, 11-1, 11-9, 11-5.
The Tiger Paddlers completed UST’s day with a 3-0 sweep of the UP Fighting Maroons.
In the boys’ division, UST dominated University of the Philippines Integrated School, Ateneo High School and De La Salle Santiago Zobel to remain atop with a perfect 8-0 record.
The Tiger Paddlers will close out the second round tomorrow Nov. 15, at the same venue.
