National U netters off to rousing start

LOOKING to defend its twin tennis crowns, National University got off to a roaring start in the UAAP men and women’s action recently at Olivarez Sports Center.

The Bulldogs, vying for a third straight championship, leaned on last season’s Most Valuable Player Fritz Verdad for a 2-0 start, while the Lady Bulldogs also got their back-to-back title bid going with reigning MVP Christine Patrimonio.

In juniors basketball, Ateneo clinched the first Final Four berth after extending its unbeaten run to 10 games recently at their homecourt at Blue Eagle Gym.

Matthew Nieto pumped in 20 points as the Blue Eaglets rolled past the Far Eastern University, 78-52, to move within four wins of an elimination sweep that comes with an outright title berth and a thrice-to-beat bonus.

The defending champion NU Bullpups also arrested a three-game slide by crushing La Salle Zobel, 50-37, for a second-best 7-3 card.

The Junior Archers slipped to third at 6-4, followed by Adamson and University of Santo Tomas with similar 5-5 cards.

Verdad powered the Bulldogs past University of the East, 4-1, and Ateneo, 4-1, as the defending champions joined last year’s runner-up University of the Philippines and UST on top at 2-0 in men’s tennis.

Unbeaten since the 2013 season, the Bulldogs stretched their winning streak to 24.

Patrimonio, the daughter of all-time pro basketball great Alvin Patrimonio, teamed up with rookie sister Clarice to tow the Lady Bulldogs to a 4-1 triumph over the Lady Maroons.