The DLSU Green Shuttlers’ bid for a podium finish in the UAAP Season 88 Men’s Badminton Tournament came to an end after a 3-1 loss to the NU Bulldogs in the third-place match earlier today, October 22, at the Rizal Memorial Badminton Hall.
Despite a 1-all split in the singles matches, the Green-and-White could not close the deal as the Bulldogs dominated the doubles, 2-0.
A bitter split
In what was a tough and intense opening singles match, James Capin of DLSU faced off against NU’s Lanz Zafra in hopes of seizing an early game advantage. The early moments saw Zafra take a commanding 4-0 lead, hammering down cross-court smashes and forcing Capin into uncomfortable positions. Despite Capin’s efforts, Zafra’s precision at the net and well-placed attacks kept the Green Shuttler at bay, 6-3. Capin could not find his momentum in the opening exchanges as he was forced into errors and short receives, leading to an enormous 18-3 deficit. His overhead smashes and netplay were consistently responded to by Zafra’s swift movements and well-placed shots. In the midst of the wide gap, Capin finally managed to break the dry spell, securing a point after a long rally. Despite a brief surge of energy from the Lasallian, Zafra finished the set at 21-7, in favor of the Bulldogs.
The second set saw a more determined Capin as he quickly mounted a 3-0 lead. Capin’s aggressive play and focused manner left Zafra struggling to return the shots. The NU representative then responded with precision, scoring continuously to regain the composure to close the gap and turn the tables to 5-3. With Capin committing numerous outside errors, the gap widened again, putting him in an uncomfortable position of 15-7. Zafra’s backhand shots played a role to put him back in control. He continued to dominate, mixing backhands and overhead smashes that Capin couldn’t handle, ending the set at 21-10 to seal the first point for NU.
Star rookie Lovic Javier took the court with a sense of urgency to secure a win and tie the series for his team. Battling against NU’s Benjamin Dictado, Javier came out strong, showing off precise shot-making and strategic offense. The first set was a back-and-forth affair, with Javier holding a slight edge due to Dictado’s struggles with receiving smashes, 6-4. Javier began to pull away, scoring seven consecutive points to extend his advantage, 19-12, as Dictado found himself on the back foot, unable to counter Javier’s sharp smashes. The Green-and-White’s dominant play continued as he sealed the first set with a 21-14 victory, leaving Dictado with little room to mount any kind of comeback. In the following set, Dictado looked forward in redeeming a tie-breaker by garnering three points ahead of Javier, 3-1. However, the Green Shuttler was immersed in locking in their first win, scoring continuous back-to-back points, leaving Dictado a slight chance to redeem himself, 9-5. As the set progressed, the rookie maintained tight control over exchanges, capitalizing on Dictado’s misreads to pull away for a 17-9 lead. Javier then secured four straight points, closing the set with Dictado’s receive error, 21-10, securing DLSU’s first point of the third-placer match.
Down it went
Hoping to inch closer to the podium, the duo of Miguel Cuarte and Zaki Layno faced NU’s Clarence Perez and Zafra. Both sides matched each other’s intensity early on, setting the tone for a grueling showdown. The Taft-based tandem soon gained control—Layno with his blistering smashes and Cuarte with pinpoint placements—surging ahead, 5-2. Though DLSU’s momentum briefly faltered, the Bulldogs could only watch as the shuttlecock repeatedly fell within bounds, giving the Green-and-White a comfortable 11-4 cushion. The Green Shuttlers continued to target the sidelines and the sweet spot just behind NU’s backcourt, earning back-to-back points. Still, the Bulldogs proved to be a tough nut to crack, forcing multiple errors to narrow the gap, 15-14. As La Salle’s miscues mounted, an opening for a 4-0 run was made, allowing NU to steal the first set, 21-18.
An error-ridden start by DLSU in the second set was immediately capitalized by NU to tally 7-1. Nonetheless, Layno’s fierce smashfest and the Bulldogs’ untimely errors sparked the Lasallian duo’s slow climb out of the pit, 12-6. Errors from both Perez and Zafra also proved costly as the Green Shuttlers saw this as the perfect opportunity to deliver a calm execution. The Green-and-White prioritized their steady play with precise placements, inching closer at 19-17. However, just as they were starting to come alive, the Bulldogs’ confidence after winning a disputed rally gave them the win, 21-19.
Refusing to fall just yet, Joshua Morada and Yuan Tan took on John Benedict Gam and James Villarante in the second doubles match. NU utilized the corner from the get-go to secure the first point. The Green Shuttlers were still finding their rhythm, committing early errors, but the Bulldogs returned the favor with a variety of their own, keeping the game close at 8-6. In the next few sequences, the Green-and-White met another pain point as they struggled to receive. Adding to their woes was Villarante’s quick reflexes, rendering the Taft-based duo unable to rally. Strong but wide returns could not cut it for Morada and Tan as they yielded the first set, 21-14.
The Green Shuttlers displayed renewed drive as they won the first point of the second set. Luck then seemed to be on their side of the court as NU struggled with reception, allowing La Salle to pull ahead, 7-4. However, the Taft-based squad’s structured play soon unraveled as net errors resurfaced. The tougher challenge came in maintaining mental composure, with Villarante desperately diving for saves met with effortless retaliation. With the Bulldogs up 18-14, DLSU fired a series of smart hits but ultimately remained unable to battle their own mistakes, losing 21-18.
Despite a heartbreaking fourth-place finish, the Green Shuttlers look to regroup and carry on the momentum from a successful season in Season 89.
