The DLSU Green Shuttlers remain in the hunt for their first victory of UAAP Season 86 after a tough defeat at the hands of the UP Fighting Maroons, 5-0, earlier today, November 4, at the Centro Atletico Badminton Center in Quezon City. The Green and White were not able to secure a point in any of their matches but were nonetheless within reach of doing so on the way to their 0-3 standing.
Meanwhile, in the Women’s Division, the 1-2 Lady Shuttlers were unable to build on their previous victory as they also lost to the defending champion ADMU Blue Eagles, 4-1. Palma Cruz and Mia Manguilimotan secured the point for the team from Taft in their gritty doubles match affair.
Keeping the fight
The DLSU Green Shuttlers fielded Jason Pajarillo first again as he faced off against UP’s Kervin Llanes. Pajarillo started slow, losing the first game, 21-12. However, he took an early lead in the second game and kept the lead going into the break, 11-10. He managed to keep the game tight staying within three points, but lost three straight points in the end as he lost, 21-18.
Up next was James Estrada who suit up for the Green Shuttlers for the first time in Season 86 and was matched up against UP’s Jewel Albo. Estrada needed time to get his engine running in his first game as he was down early and was unable to find a way back, 21-10. In the second game, Estrada took an early lead, 3-2. But, he was unable to sustain the momentum as he lost the second game, 21-8.
In the first doubles match, Joshua Morada and Jeff Cruz teamed up for the Green Shuttlers against UP’s Michael Clemente and Raydric Abinales. The Green and White were able to keep the scoreline close, even taking the lead early on in the first game. The Green Shuttlers were able to scrap some points through their service aces, but it wasn’t enough as they lost both games, 21-16 and 21-16.
Looking to respond for the Green Shuttlers, Yuan Tan and Yugin Tan teamed up against Jason Vanzuela and Albo. The Lasallian duo found a way to keep the score close as they forced errors upon their opponents and even scored a few through their serves, but it was not enough as the Fighting Maroons pulled off a win with a slim margin in both games, 21-17 and 21-18.
For the final men’s match, James Capin looked to repeat his result from the previous matchday as he took on John Estrada of the Fighting Maroons. Capin kept the game close in the first game as he forced his opponent to misplace his shots, but a late 5-0 run by Estrada put the game out of reach for Capin as he lost, 21-16. In the second game, Capin was unable to sustain the pressure as Estrada was able to go on multiple runs to defeat the Green Shuttler, 21-13.
Leaving a scar
On the women’s side, Lady Tuario was the first among the roster from Taft called to action as she was set to take on Mikaela De Guzman. Tuario responded early on when she gave up the opening point in both games but was unable to stop De Guzman’s runs later on as she lost, 21-10 and 21-9.
Ghiselle Bautista then looked to avenge the Lady Shuttlers’ dropped point as she took on Jochelle Alvarez. Bautista forced her opponent to put her shots outside of the lines for a number of times in both games and kept her shots inside as well, but she came up short as she lost both games, 21-13 and 21-11.
For the first doubles game, the captain and co-captain pairing were put up against Missy Cervantes and Maxene Olango. Cruz and Manguilimotan were on point in their shots as they kept it between the lines to score points and made it difficult for the opposition to receive their shots to force an error to their advantage. The second game was closer than the first as both sides traded points, not giving their opposition any chance to let their guard down. But, Cruz and Manguilimotan pulled through to win a match for La Salle, 21-17 and 21-19.
Coleen Dedicatoria and Shaynne Boloron then looked to even the score for the Green Shuttlers as they were matched up against De Guzman and Alvarez. Dedicatoria and Boloron took the fight to De Guzman and Alvarez as the Lady Shuttlers’ power shots forced the Blue Eagles to commit a couple of errors, but a late run by the Blue Eagles put the game out of reach for Dedicatoria and Boloron, 21-14 and 21-7.
The last Lady Shuttler to see action was Viana Antonio as she took on Angel Valle. Antonio needed some time to get used to her opponent as she lost the first game, 21-10. However, she kept her head in the second game and kept her shots between the lines to stay within a point going into the break, 11-10, though the momentum stayed in Valle’s favor after the break as Antonio suffered a 5-0 run.
The Green and Lady Shuttlers will have another go at it tomorrow, November 5, as they continue their UAAP Season 86 campaign against the AdU Soaring Falcons and UP Fighting Maroons at 8 am and 1 pm, respectively, at the same venue.
