The DLSU Green Tennisters finished the week with mixed results after ending their losing streak against the UP Fighting Maroons, 4-1, last February 22, but bowing to the UST Growling Tigers last February 25, 3-2, and to the UE Red Warriors last February 26, 3-1, at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center.
Meanwhile, the DLSU Lady Tennisters suffered consecutive defeats against the UP Lady Maroons, 3-2, last February 22, and against the NU Lady Bulldogs, 1-4, last February 26, in the same venue.
The Green Tennisters now currently hold a 1-3 win-loss record and are fifth in the standings. Meanwhile, their female counterparts hold a 0-3 record and sit in fourth place.
“We came up short and lost fair and square, and we have to rebound right away. We can’t be happy that we tried hard and [got] close,” coach Roland Kraut mentioned after the Green Tennisters’ defeat against UST. “We have to understand our roles. For every match, there’s a chance for someone’s match to make a difference in the whole tie, and it’s always different people.”
Mixed week for Green Tennisters
The DLSU Green Tennisters started the week on a high note, breaking their losing streak which runs back to last year, and coming away with their first victory of the season against Season 78 runners-up, the UP Fighting Maroons, 4-1, last February 22. Lasallians LA Canizares and team captain Kyle Parpan won their singles matches, needing three sets each to emerge victorious against their counterparts in Joshua Cano and Mikko Ringia, respectively. Meanwhile, DLSU’s Betto Orendain swept UP’s Enteng Alanis, 6-3, 6-2, in convincing fashion.
The doubles team of Jonah Cano and Qoqo Allian from Taft also bested Fighting Maroons Mimo Tomacruz and Auden Paduganan in a three-set battle, 6-2, 3-6, 6-2. It was the pair of Hans Asistio and Gelo Cerezo, however, who stumbled against UP’s Kyle Joseph and Elijah Arevalo in two sets, 6-0, 7-6.
In their tie against the UST Growling Tigers last February 25, the Green-and-White came just short, 3-2. The day started with the first single’s match as La Salle’s Parpan fell to Thomasian Dave Mosqueda with a score of 6-1, 6-4. The next single’s match fared better for the Green Tennisters, however, as Canizares again came up big, defeating Clarence Cabahug with a score of 6-4, 2-6, 6-3, needing three sets as his opponent would not go down without a fight. The third singles match saw Orendain struggle through the first set, but pull away with the victory against Nico Lanzado, 2-6, 6-4, 6-1.
The doubles team of Asistio and Dale Gorospe suffered a crushing loss, 6-1, 6-2, to Growling Tigers Joel Cabusas and Bernlou. DLSU’s second doubles team suffered the same fate as Cano and Allian failed to prevail against UST’s En-En Lopez and Waren Lagahit.
Facing an undefeated UE team earlier today, the team from Taft was looking to pull off an upset against a team anchored by Davis Cup player AJ Lim. Unfortunately for La Salle, however, the rookie outclassed Rey Mayo, winning both sets, 6-0, 6-0.
On the other court, DLSU was able to knot the tie at one after an impressive showing from Parpan and Cano, who teamed for the first time this season. Using a variety of different strategies, the Green-and-White was able to control the pace and hold serve against UE’s Paulo Baran and Jeric Delos Santos.
After the team of Asistio and Allian lost in two sets, it was up to Canizares to keep the Green Tennisters alive. Though he was able to comeback to win the second set, 6-3, after losing the first, 6-0, Josshua Kinaadman proved to be too much for him to handle. The continuous breaking of the serve of the Red Warrior proved costly for Canizares.
The last match of the day pitted DLSU’s Orendain against Dolfo Barquin. The former was able to win the first set through a tie-breaker, but the latter came back to win the second set, 6-3. In the deciding set, Barquin was up, 5-0, before a lighting malfunction postponed the finish of the match to Wednesday. However, the overall outcome of the tie had been decided as UE had already won three out of five matches.
Consecutive defeats for Lady Tennisters
Unlike their male counterparts, the DLSU Lady Tennisters started the week on the wrong foot after falling to the UP Lady Maroons, 3-2. Both Rachelle de Guzman and the pair of Princess Castillo and Jed Aquino from Taft dominated their counterparts with straight set victories, with De Guzman besting UP’s Monica Cortez, 6-0, 6-1, while Castillo and Aquino conquered the pair of Dana Uy and Denise Jimenez, 6-2, 6-1.
However, it was not enough to win the tie as Jenni Dizon and Chang Atangan fell to UP’s Nicole Eugenio and Dane Carranza, respectively, in singles matches. The duo of Kiana Gacias and Kylla Orillosa again struggled, failing to win a single game against the team of Charmaine Valdez and Monika Banez, 6-0, 6-0.
In their tie against the NU Lady Bulldogs earlier today, the Lady Tennisters again faltered, losing 4-1. De Guzman again delivered for the Green-and-White, besting NU’s Jzash Canja, 7-5, 6-1. This would be the team’s lone victory in the tie, however, as Atangan, Dizon, and the pair of Aquino and Castillo were swept in their respective matches. The duo of Gacias and Orillosa could not keep up with their counterparts, falling to Lady Bulldogs Apoul Polito and Ana Bienes, 6-0, 6-0.
The Green Tennisters will resume their tie against NU on Wednesday, March 1 while the Lady Tennisters face ADMU at the same venue.
