THE UST Tiger and Lady Paddlers earned a golden double in the UAAP Season 87 table tennis tournament on Tuesday, Nov. 26, at Ayala Malls Manila Bay.
Both men’s and women’s squads dominated the elimination round, 14-0, before sweeping their respective matchups in the finals.
UST became the first program since DLSU in 2015 to sweep all four crowns, as the junior’s team also completed a golden double in the high school division.
The Tiger Paddlers took down the Ateneo Blue Eagles in a sweep, 2-0, extending their win streak to 44 matches as they bagged their fifth consecutive championship.
In last season’s finals rematch, the Tiger Paddlers surged past Ateneo in Game 1 with a 3-1 score.
Season 87 MVP Eljay Tormis dominated Mahendra Cabrido, 11-6, 11-4, 11-13, in the first singles match. Alvin Sevilla then swept Victor de Asis, 11-8, 11-2, 11-9.
Ateneo bounced back as the duo of Zhedrel Fresco and Wrency Abad beat UST’s Prince Garcia and Abraham Antivo in five sets, 6-11, 11-6, 11-9, 5-11, 11-3.
It was Season 87 Rookie of the Year Joshua Manlapaz who sealed the game for the Tiger Paddlers with a victory over Andrew Uy, 12-10, 10-12, 11-6, 13-11.
The Tiger Paddlers clinched their 31st title after a 3-1 victory in the second game.
In the first singles match, Tormis whipped De Asis in four sets, 8-11, 11-1, 11-5, 11-3. His MVP predecessor John Michael Castro, continued UST’s dominance with a sweep over Rod Andree Garcia 11-6, 11-8, 11-5, to set up the clincher.
The UST tandem of Antivo and Garcia, however, failed to seal the title after Fresco and Abad exacted revenge, 5-11, 11-6, 10-12, 11-8, 4-11, to keep Ateneo alive.
Tiger Paddler Sevilla came out on top to subdue Cabrido in five sets, 3-11, 11-8, 11-8, 10-12, 11-5, to defend the crown
UST men’s team head coach Jackson Que lauded the determination of his players in achieving the historic five-peat.
“It was their will to win that fueled the team in dominating the season,” the tactician told The Flame.
The España squad’s table tennis program will be in a rebuilding phase next season with the departure of key players Sevilla and Castro.
On the other side, the Lady Paddlers dispatched FEU Lady Tamaraws in a 2-0 sweep, reclaiming their first title since Season 82.
The Lady Paddlers outlasted the Lady Tamarraws, 3-2, to take Game 1.
Althea Gudes quickly thrashed Mirriam Martinez, 11-5, 11-5, 11-8, in the first singles match. Lady Tamaraw Aizel Rom, however, escaped Janna Paculba in five sets, 8-11, 16-14, 11-4, 6-11, 11-3, to level the match at one-all.
UST’s pair of Kathlyn Gabisay and Leigh Villanueva succumbed to a close fight against FEU’s duo of Krisha Reyes and Glieza Ampalid, 9-11, 11-8, 13-11, 6-11, 2-11, giving the latter a 2-1 advantage.
Kaye Denise Encarnacion tied the game with a five-set victory against Shairah Gabisay, 11-6, 11-9, 9-11, 6-11, 11-6. Her sister Kaye Alliah Encarncaion then took the decider with an 11-6, 11-7, 6-11, 11-7, crucial victory against Ashly Sobrevilla in the deciding match.
In the second game, UST made quick work of the FEU Lady Tamarraws, 3-0, to reclaim their 15th championship.
UST’s Encarnacion outmatched Rom in five sets, 9-11, 6-11, 11-6, 11-7, 14-12. In the second singles match, Gudes followed it up with a quick sweep over Martinez, 11-7, 11-2, 11-8.
To top it all off, Gabisay joined forces with Corrine Cartera to boot Ampalid and Reyes in straight sets, 11-4, 11-7, 11-8.
“Because of their positivity and toughness, we were able to actualize the game plan,” UST Lady Paddlers head coach Lorinda Wadjad said. F
