THERE WAS no repeat for the UST Lady Fencers as they closed out the women’s division of the UAAP Season 88 fencing tournament with a bronze finish at the Makati Coliseum on Monday, March 16.
The Lady Fencers tallied two silvers and two bronzes, paving the way for the UE Lady Warriors to take back the championship they lost to UST last year.
UE secured its 15th championship with a 3-1-5 gold-silver-bronze medal tally, while the UP Fighting Maroons placed second overall with a 3-1-2 haul.
The campaign started on a tough note as UST’s Ruby Sardenia bowed out in the women’s foil quarterfinals with a 15-5 loss to UP’s Nana Carbonell.
In the women’s individual sabre event, Krystal Tuy also fell short of her gold medal bid, falling to Season 88 MVP Queenie Dalmacio from UE.
On the final day, Lady Fencer Kim Shaznee Tuy had a slim 43-42 lead against Dalmacio in the team sabre championship match. However, Dalmacio responded with three unanswered touches to secure the gold for UE.
In the men’s division, the UST Tiger Fencers fell short of a podium finish, finishing their campaign with one gold and four bronze medals.
UST’s lone gold came in the men’s team epee event, where Adam Putian and Keith Bernal led the Tiger Fencers in an upset victory over top-seeded DLSU Green Fencers and UP Fighting Maroons.
Putian also delivered the team’s first medal after settling for bronze in the men’s individual epee, falling narrowly to UP’s Calix Ho in the semifinals, 15-14.
John Dexter Ramos also grabbed a bronze on the first day of the individual epee event.
In the men’s individual foil event, Marrke Abaygar ended up with a bronze medal, following a 15-5 loss against UE’s Shawn Felipe.
UE ruled the men’s division with a 3-2-2 medal haul, followed by DLSU’s 1-2-3 tally. UP capped it off with a 1-2-2 finish. F
