THE UST Tiger Paddlers cemented their dynasty after clinching their sixth consecutive championship and 32nd overall crown in the UAAP Season 88 men’s table tennis tournament on Friday, Nov. 21, at the Amoranto Sports Complex.
Abraham Antivo and Gerald Aguilar delivered in the clutch, steering UST to a finals sweep of the title-hungry Ateneo Blue Eagles.
Aguilar kept the UST’s hopes alive in the first Game 1 by rallying from a 2-1 hole, subduing Rod Garcia, 11-5, 12-10, 5-11, 11-7.
Riding on that momentum, Antivo swept Andrew Uy, 11-5, 11-6, 12-10, to hand UST the opening win in the best-of-three Finals series.
In Game 2, the Paddlers again found themselves trailing 2-1, before Antivo forced a decider with a gritty five-set victory over Wrency Abad, 11-7, 6-11, 11-9, 7-11, 11-9.
Aguilar then shook off a slow start and dominated Garcia in the next three sets 7-11, 11-6, 11-6, 11-6, sealing the championship and stretching the Tigers’ astonishing unbeaten run to 60 matches.
This marks the Tigers’ first six-peat since Seasons 53 to 58.
Aguilar capped his stellar rookie campaign with the Rookie of the Year plum, while Antivo was hailed Most Valuable Player of the tournament.
On the women’s side, the UST Lady Paddlers title defense fell short as they settled for silver against the undefeated FEU Lady Tamaraws, 3-2, 3-0.
Althea Gudes kept UST alive in the opening game, outlasting Shairah Gabisay, 11-7, 11-8, 7-11, 11-3, to force a decider.
But Janna Paculba fell into a tight four-setter to Christine Golez, 4-11, 6-11, 17-15, 9-11, giving FEU the Game 1 win.
In Game 2, UST couldn’t break FEU’s momentum and was swept in straight sets, handing the Morayta squad its first women’s title since Season 73. F
