After suffering two straight losses to open their UAAP Season 85 campaign, the DLSU Green Tennisters managed to grind out a 3-2 win versus the AdU Soaring Falcons earlier today, March 15, at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex.
Meanwhile, in the Women’s Division, the Lady Tennisters suffered a narrow 3-2 loss to the UST Growling Tigresses last Saturday, March 11, at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex.
Unfortunate opening
The Green Tennisters were at the receiving end of a 5-0 rout as they tallied an opening-day loss at the hands of the UST Growling Tigers. Matt Palasan and RJ Varrey started the first doubles matchup strong with a set win but ultimately fell in three sets, 6-2, 6-7, and 0-4—winning the Green Tennisters’ only frame in the matchup. La Salle was unable to get on the win column in their second fixture last Sunday, March 12, as they fell to the UP Fighting Maroons in another sweep, 5-0.
On the side of the Lady Tennisters, the team from Taft missed out on an open day win by a slim chance, as they lost to the Growling Tigresses, 3-2. In a valiant effort, Angelica Alcala and Jazelle Madis managed to win their doubles matchup, 6-4 and 6-4, while Mikaela Vicencio was able to come from behind to win her singles matchup, 5-7, 6-1, and 6-2.
Bouncing back
In their third match of the season earlier today, March 15, against the AdU Soaring Falcons, the Green Tennisters managed to carve out their first win of the season, 3-2. Fernando Po and EJ Geluz managed to win their singles matchups while duo Matt Palasan and Leyton Portin emerged victorious in their doubles matchup. Po managed to win in two straight sets, 6-4 and 6-3. Geluz followed suit in his bout, winning 7-5 and 6-0.
Upon seeing the Tennisters return to UAAP competition, DLSU Head Coach Roland Kraut expressed, “Everybody’s excited, everybody’s tense. We waited for three years for this. We didn’t have a good start but at least today is something we can hopefully build on.”
The DLSU mentor was happy that his team was able to tough it out and secure their first victory of the campaign, sharing, “We had two bad losses last weekend. This one’s parang something that we have to win to get back into the standings. Still [we needed to win] a deciding match. Buti nalang we came through, [and the] first-year player was able to get a win in the deciding match.”
The Green and White are far from finished, however, with upcoming fixtures this March 19, Saturday, against the ADMU Blue Eagles for the Green Tennisters and the UP Fighting Maroons for the Lady Tennisters at 11 am and 12 pm, respectively, at the same venue.
