The DLSU Green Shuttlers bow out of their bid for a second consecutive Final Four spot in their UAAP Season 89 Men’s Badminton Tournament Campaign after falling to the UST Growling Tigers’ roar in a decisive rematch during their playoff tiebreaker clash earlier today, October 25, at the Gameville Central Park.
Decisive clash
The Green Shuttlers fielded Lovic Javier to set the tone in the do-or-die match in the first singles game against UST’s Aaron Bedaña. The Rookie of the Year wasted no time, dominating 12-5 through timely cross-court smashes. He held the iron grip throughout the first set to take a 1-0 set lead with a 21-9 blowout win. Javier was exceptional, as Bedaña had no answers to his positioning and racket flicks, as he carried the same tone into the second set with a 14-5 lead this time. Javier closed the curtains of the second set with kill smashes and tiring rallies, taking the first game 2-0 with a 21-11 set win.
With first blood drawn, the Green-and-White looked to build momentum with Miguel Cuarte clashing against the Growling Tigers’ Clark Brilliantes. They traded blows early on, with Brilliantes gaining the upper hand, 11-10. However, Cuarte adjusted his positioning, alternating cross-court strikes and flicks to catapult his way to an 18-12 lead before claiming the first set, 21-16.
The second set was fought tooth and nail with Brilliantes adapting to take an 11-9 lead with volleys and racket control. The two stalwarts threw haymaker after haymaker, reaching a 20-all decider. Nevertheless, Brilliantes took an uncontested two-point scoring run to take the second, 22-20. The deciding set saw fatigued figures, as Cuarte and Brilliantes attempted to establish footholds. Cuarte, however, faltered first, allowing Brilliantes to take an 18-13 lead for the Growling Tigers before closing out the set with a 21-17 win to take the second match and deadlock the standings at 1-all.
Short-handed smash
Eager to shatter the tie, Rey Dalimo-os and AJ Jurada stepped in for the Green Shuttlers against España’s Bien Miraflor and Ron Galve. The Taft-based squad found themselves outclassed, with devastating offense and smashes from the yellow shirts, taking an 11-7 deficit. Although Dalimo-os and Jurada spaced the floor, they could not find an answer to UST’s test, falling in the first set, 21-13. The second frame saw a reinvigorated Lasallian rhythm, with precise hits and well-placed smashes, as they went back and forth 18-all. Refusing to yield, the Green Shuttlers forced a 20-all tie to bring the match to a tiebreaking sequence. Yet, the Growling Tigers ended it with two points in a row, 23-21, and took the match lead at 2-1.
Heading into the second doubles, the Green Shuttlers were determined to force a decider with Karl Contreras and Gift Linaban heading the showdown against UST’s Vincent Espinoza and Manuel Fulmentera. The opening set was a grueling back-and-forth battle with long rallies and short smashes. Nevertheless, the Green-and-White duo took a 9-8 lead. The Growling Tigers locked in, mounting strike after strike as La Salle trailed 16-11. However, the Taft-based squad came from behind with a comeback, forcing a decider at 20-all, and flipping the tables with a 23-21 win in the first set. Capitalizing on the shattered morale of the yellow shirts, Contreras and Linaban unleashed strike after strike with their firepower, as the drained UST defense had no answers, 9-3. They kept the same pace throughout to take the second set, 21-14.
With the Final Four ticket on the line, the last singles match decided who takes it all. The Green Shuttlers put in Huego Quedeng against UST’s Ivan Tuazon. Quedeng was bombarded with smashes, trailing 8-3 to start. Tuazon blew the lid open with relentless smashes as La Salle continued trailing 15-11. Despite a valiant battle, the smashes went short for the Green-and-White, dropping the first set at 21-17. With the potentially last set underway, Quedeng was determined to recalibrate his racket as he traded points. The back-and-forth affair saw neither side gain momentum until a crucial 20-all deadlock, with tensions flaring once again. However, it was not DLSU’s story to write, as UST took home the set, snatching the Final Four tickets out of the Taft-based squad’s hands, 23-21, 3-2.
The DLSU Green Shuttlers now officially end their UAAP Season 89 Men’s Badminton Tournament, bowing out of the Final Four race.