Ateneo men, FEU women survive table tennis stepladder

c/o UAAP

ATENEO de Manila University and Far Eastern University claimed the second seats of the UAAP Season 87 Table Tennis tournament men’s and women’s division Finals, respectively, following victories in the stepladder semifinals on Monday at the Homecourt, Ayala Malls Manila Bay in Parañaque.

The Blue Eagles advanced to their third straight championship round after a 3-1 conquest of the Adamson University Soaring Falcons.

The Lady Tamaraws moved to their first title showdown since Season 78 (2015) with a similar 3-1 decision past the Ateneo Blue Eagles.

Both teams will have their hands full in the Finals on Tuesday, starting at 8 a.m., against the two undefeated University of Santo Tomas teams in this tournament backed by Akari, Topcoms Marketing, and Hua Ching Foundation.

UST hopes to become the first program since De La Salle University in 2015 to sweep all four titles, as the España-based paddlers earlier won the high school girls and boys titles.

Wrency Abad steered the second-ranked Ateneo with an 11-9, 11-4, 11-8 sweep of Adamson’s Joshua Lascano. Victor De Asis and Zherdel Fresco took the 2-1 advantage with an 11-7, 11-4, 8-11, 11-7 win over Jhon Baculos and Aldrean Gacho.

Shairah Gabisay fended off Ateneo’s Audrey Solis, 16-14, 12-14, 11-8, 11-8, to send the second-seeded FEU into a Finals. Glieza Ampalid and Krisha Reyes set the clincher with an 11-7, 9-11, 11-7, 11-7 take of Kaela Aguilar and Therese Docto.

The Soaring Falcons and the Blue Eagles finished with the bronze trophies in the men’s and women’s divisions after taking down the DLSU Green and the Lady Paddlers in the stepladder first round.

Amiel Sumadsad secured Adamson’s first podium of the season with an 11-7, 11-3, 11-6 rout of La Salle’s Dino Gabriel Marcelo.

Kathleene Bulaqueña clinched the Ateneo bronze with a 9-11, 11-8, 11-9, 9-11, 11-3 marathon over La Salle’s Shyrein Redoquero.