The DLSU Green Tennisters and Lady Tennisters concluded their respective UAAP Season 79 campaigns on contrasting notes at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center. The Green Tennisters fell against UE, 4-1, last March 11, before defeating the UP Fighting Maroons, 3-2, earlier today, March 12. Meanwhile, the Lady Tennisters succumbed to the NU Lady Bulldogs last March 11, 4-1, before falling to the ADMU Lady Eagles, 4-1, earlier today.
The Green Tennisters ended the season with a 5-5 win-loss record, with their final league standing to be determined. Their female counterparts finished in last place with a 1-7 win-loss standing. As both teams failed to break into the top two of the standings, neither advanced to the finals of the lawn tennis tournament.
Green Tennisters split weekend ties
La Salle bowed to the league-leading UE Red Warriors last March 11, 4-1. The duo of Kyle Parpan and Hans Asistio fell to UE’s RJ Saga and Rogelio Estano, 7-6, 6-2. Meanwhile, Betto Orendain faced Red Warrior Dolfo Barquin in a highly competitive matchup. Orendain faltered down the stretch, however, succumbing, 7-6, 7-5.
Rookie Gelo Cerezo faced an uphill battle against AJ Lim, who has competed in the Juniors Singles division of high profile tournaments such as the Australian Open and the French Open. Although Cerezo sought to stay competitive, and even won a few rallies, he ultimately could not keep up, bowing to Lim, 6-0, 6-0.
The pair of Jonah Cano and Qoqo Allian also fell to UE’s Paulo Baran and Jeric Delos Santos in three sets, 6-7, 6-2, 6-4. Only veteran LA Canizares emerged victorious for the Green Tennisters, defeating Josshua Kinaadman, 4-6, 6-4, 6-1.
Despite their loss against UE, the Green Tennisters managed to end their season with a victory against the UP Fighting Maroons earlier today, 3-2. Orendain and Parpan won their singles matches against Kyle Joseph and Joel Atienza, respectively, with identical 6-2, 6-1 scorelines.
Canizares fell to UP’s Joshua Cano, however, in the last singles match, falling in three competitive sets, 7-5, 1-6, 6-3. Under the grueling heat, both players fell victim to cramps, with Cano even needing medical attention to continue.
The new pairing of Asistio and Cano from DLSU also fell to the team of Mimo Tomacruz and Elijah Arevalo, 6-4, 6-4. The Lasallians were just unable to keep up with the pace of the men from UP. In the final doubles match, which won the tie for La Salle, the pair of Dale Gorospe and Allian defeated UP’s Gab Gutierrez and Vincent Alanis, 6-4, 7-5. The last set was a back-and-forth affair that ultimately saw the the Green-and-White ending up on top. The Green Tennisters thus ended their season with a 5-5 record, a major improvement from last season’s winless campaign. The team will now have to wait for the results of other ties to know its final place in the standings.
Lady Tennisters end disappointing campaign
The Lady Tennisters could not carry their momentum from Wednesday’s win forward as they were bested by the defending champions, the NU Lady Bulldogs, last March 11, 4-1. Both Kiana Gacias and Kylla Orillosa got swept in their singles matches against Clarice Patrimonio and Christine Patrimonio, respectively.
Team captain Rachelle De Guzman, however, stayed consistent for the Green-and-White, defeating NU’s Annie Tumanda in straight sets, 6-0, 6-2.
La Salle’s doubles teams were unable to match the experience of the defending champions. Both the pair of Jenni Dizon and Chang Atangan and the team of Princess Castillo and Jed Aquino struggled against their counterparts, faltering against the duo of Jzash Canja and ZaZa Paulino and the pair of Apoul Polito and Goldi Nagret, respectively. NU won both doubles matches in straight sets.
The Lady Tennisters ended their campaign with another loss as they fell to the ADMU Lady Eagles, 4-1, earlier today, March 12. De Guzman claimed the only victory for the women’s division in their tie against ADMU, edging Rocio Climent in straight sets, 6-1, 6-0. The team captain thus won every one of her matches for the Lady Tennisters throughout the tournament, a bright spot in their campaign.
Beside their court was an intense three-set match between DLSU’s Atangan and Khrizelle Sampaton. Atangan bagged the first set, winning by a close margin of 7-5. Sampaton answered back by leading three games to none during the succeeding set. Atangan remained composed and was able to break a serve and win a game of her own. However, La Salle failed to keep momentum as Sampaton took the remaining games and forced a decisive set, 6-2. The last set was a display of both skill and endurance from both players as it went down to tiebreak due to consistent services by both teams. Sampaton came out triumphant as she snatched the last set with a scoreline of 7-6.
The first doubles match of the day featured the duo of Aquino and Castillo against Jana Hernandez and Jess Agra. DLSU bowed in two sets, 7-6, 6-3, as ADMU stole another match. Meanwhile, La Salle’s Kylla Orillosa and Kiana Gacias were dominated by the pair of Nicole Amistad and Annika Mallari as they were defeated in two sets, 6-0, 6-1.
The last match was between Dizon and ADMU’s Jana Pages. The Atenean trounced Dizon in straight sets, not letting her win a single game on the first set and finishing the next set, 6-3. The Lady Tennisters thus finished their season in last place with a 1-7 record.
Despite the subpar performance of the team throughout the season, sophomore player Atangan is proud for the undaunted effort of her team. “Kinakapos kami kaya hindi nananalo yung team.” As for next season, she mentioned changes will be evident. “May mga bagong player, may mga graduates, pero feel ko mas maganda lineup next season,” says Atangan.
