By Charles Usi, Sports Editor of The LaSallian
Seven matches later and the Green and Lady Shuttlers are now the leaders of their respective packs.
The Men and Ladies in Green raced to the first place in ther respective divisions heading into the semifinals of the UAAP Season 74 Badminton Tournament after overtaking the league-leaders last August 28, at the Badminton Hallof the Rizal Memorial Complex.
The Green Shuttlers edged out National University in a close 3-2 encounter, while the Ladies swept the defending champions FEU, 5-0, thus enabling both squads to wrest the first place.
The top-ranked Green Shuttlers will battle their elimination round tormentors Ateneo de Manila University, and the Lady Shuttlers will clash with fourth-runner UE on September 10 at the start of the Badminton semifinals.
Ousting National U
The Green Shuttlers tarnished NU’s immaculate slate via a 3-2 turn-out, stealing the top spot at the end of eliminations.
Sampaloc’s Joper Escueta drew first blood by disposing of La Salle’s Kenneth Monterubio, 21-19, 21-14, in the opening singles match. The Green-and-White’s Ronel Estanislao then knotted the count at 1-all by making quick work of NU’s Andrei Babad, 21-8, 21-10.
The Estanilao-Nej Martinez duo then racked NU’s Escueta-Sonny Montilla, 22-20, 21-18. La Salle’s Second Doubles pair of Ivan Angsico and Gerald Sibayan failed to close out the match against Babad and Aries de los Santos, 21-14, 21-18.
The match boiled down to the deciding Third Singles encounter between Green Shuttler JC Clarito and NU Bulldogs’ de los Santos, with the former seizing win the decisive third win, 28-26, 17-21, 21-18.
Barring FEU’s sweep
Lady Shuttlers mirrored the men’s performance by posting a dominant 5-0 sweep of the defending champions FEU.
Last year’s Rookie of the Year Kim Mayono was no match for former MVP Descka Calimlim, 21-18, 21-17, to start off the Lady Shuttlers’ run. Teammate Danica Bolos then blanked FEU’s Jennifer Cayetano 21-18, 21-23 afterwards for a two-to-nil lead for the Green-and-White.
Lady Shuttlers Gelli Ramos and Danica San Ignacio then cruised past the opposition in the next doubles match, 21-18, 21-14, against Clarissa Pascual and Grectchen Culaste, sealing the win for La Salle.
Calimlim and Bolos turned back FEU’s Mayono-Cayetano tandem, 21-14, 19-21, 21-18, before Lady Shuttler San Ignacio completed the sweep of the champs, 21-15, 21-11, against Pascual.