UST, FEU netters rule first round

Manila Bulletin - September 23, 2008

University of Santo Tomas and Far Eastern University dominated their separate events in the first round of 71st UAAP table tennis team tournament over the weekend at the Ateneo Blue Eagles gym.

Defending men’s champion UST of coach Henberd Ortalla swept its six-game assignment held Saturday and Sunday while the FEU Lady Tamaraws of coach Noel Gonzales also did the same in women’s action.

Gunning for a grand slam, the UST high school squad also completed a six-game sweep in the event organized by the newly-managed Table Tennis Association of the Philippines (TATAP).

UST, winner of 21 titles in the men’s division, blanked University of the East, 3-0 before defeating La Salle (3-1), Ateneo (3-0), FEU (3-0), UP (3-1) and National University (3-0).

The Lady Tamaraws crushed NU (3-0), Ateneo (3-0), La Salle (3-0), FEU (3-1) and UST (3-2) to stay undefeated in the women’s event.

The junior’s squad of UST also proved too much for Ateneo (3-0), Adamson (3-1), La Salle-Zobel (3-0), UE (3-2), NU (3-0) and UP (3-0) to top the division.

Adamson did not participate in the men’s and women’s events for second consecutive year except in junior level while UE did not join the women’s event.

If the men’s and junior teams of UST and FEU sweep their respective events in the second round, they will be declared champions right away.