NU nails tennis title; La Salle in volley final
MANILA, Philippines — National University completed a tennis sweep as La Salle earned an outright title berth in women’s volleyball following a perfect 14-0 run in UAAP action Saturday.
In a gutsy win anchored on Anna Christine Patrimonio, the Lady Bulldogs captured the women’s tennis championship just days after their men’s counterpart also bagged the crown.
The Lady Bulldogs dethroned La Salle, 3-2, with Patrimonio nailing the deciding singles in Game 3 of the best-of-three title series Saturday at Olivarez College tennis courts in Parañaque City.
Patrimonio, the daughter of one of Philippine basketball’s all-time best Alvin Patrimonio, capped her MVP season with a 6-4, 6-2 triumph over Rachelle De Guzman that sealed the Lady Bulldogs’ come-from-behind win.
The Lady Bulldogs tied the count at 2-2 after the Kimberly Kaye Uytico-Junnalyn Polito duo downed La Salle’s Anne Rene Castillo and Nikkirey Arandia, 6-3, 6-4, in the second doubles match.
Marie Gold Nagret and Anna Vienna Biernes also came out strong for the Lady Bulldogs in the opening doubles, blasting the Lynette Palasan-Dasha Camille Bautista tandem with a 6-2, 6-0 decision.
The Lady Archers, who had aimed for back-to-back titles, took the singles matches behind Ma. Regina Santiago, a 3-6, 5-4 (ret.) winner over NU’s cramp-stricken Jzash Eale Canja, and Marinel Rudas, who triumphed over Hanna Grace Espinosa, 6-0, 6-4.
In women’s volleyball, the Lady Spikers came back from a shaky start to carve out a 14-25, 26-24, 25-21, 25-20 victory over the Lady Bulldogs on the penultimate day of eliminations at Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The sweep not only sent the Lady Spikers straight to the finals but also gave them a thrice-to-beat advantage, while the next three teams battle in a stepladder semifinals.
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