THE UST Tiger Paddlers clinched their fourth consecutive championship in the UAAP Season 86 men’s table tennis finals round after sweeping the Ateneo Blue Paddlers, 2-0, on Thursday, Nov. 23.
The win gave UST its 30th title in the men’s table tennis division.
The Tiger Paddlers demolished the Blue Paddlers, who were last season’s runner-up, in the best-of-three series to secure their victory at the Amoranto Sports Complex in Quezon City.
Reigning MVP Alvin Sevilla and Michael Castro gave UST a 2-0 lead in Game 2 of the finals after besting their Ateneo rivals.
Sevilla outscored Ateneo’s Andree Garcia in straight sets, 11-3, 11-3, 13-11, while Castro fought a tight battle after a comeback win against Blue Eagle rookie Andrew Uy in five sets, 4-11, 13-11, 9-11, 11-5, 11-3.
The España-based squad’s duo Ruiz Marcelino and Abraham Antivo edged Blue Eagles Wrency Abad and Zherdel Fresco in the doubles match, 8-11, 11-9, 5-11, 11-6, 11-6.
During Game 1 of the finals, the Antivo-Marcelino duo dominated Ateneo’s Paddlers Abad and De Asis, in straight sets, 14-12, 11-5, 11-3.
Castro bagged this season’s Most Valuable Player award.
UST has won 30 straight games since Season 82 when they faced the NU Bulldogs in Game 2 of the best-of-three finals. F
