MANILA – The Ateneo Blue Shuttlers remained the only team unscathed in the 72nd UAAP men’s badminton tournament on Saturday at the Rizal Memorial Badminton Hall.

The Blue Shuttlers, who were only seventh last season, nipped last year’s runner up University of Santo Tomas (UST) Tiger Shuttlers, 3-2, marking their fifth straight win in as many ties.

After UST’s Salvador Kapunan opened their tie with a 21-11, 21-13 win over Raphael Sanchez in the first singles match, Ateneo rallied to win the next three matches to enhance their title drive.

Sanchez more than made up for his lackluster performance earlier when he teamed up with RP team mainstay Antonino Gadi in the decisive second doubles match.

Their tandem prevailed over Kapunan and RJ Ormilla, 21-13,13-21,13-21, to clinch the win.  

Erstwhile co-leader UP Maroon Shuttlers fell by the wayside as they could not handle the smashing performance of the De La Salle Green Shuttlers, 1-4.

The Taft-based Shuttlers took the first four matches before yielding the non-bearing singles match.

The Green Shuttlers improved their record to 3-2 while the Maroon Shuttlers dropped to second place with a 4-1 slate.

The other ties saw National University finally barging into the win column as it stunned Adamson University, 5-0, while University of the East scored a close 3-2 win over Far Eastern University.

FEU, La Salle tied on top

In the women's side, La Salle and Far Eastern University (FEU) kept their unbeaten marks with contrasting 3-2 victories over their foes.

Defending champion FEU recovered from an early 0-2 deficit as it rallied to win the last three matches.

Last season’s Most Improved Player Diosane Abangan and Jennifer Cayetano lost their singles matches to Racquel Guerrero and Fatima Cruz, respectively.

But Abangan and Cayetano redeemed themselves in the doubles match pairing with Rochelle Reyes and Diomalyn Dayao to force a 2-2 deadlock.  

In the deciding singles match, Reyes easily dispatched May Pamorada, 21-13, 21-15.

La Salle, meanwhile, fended off UP’s challenge with a 3-2 decision.  

In the other ties, Adamson scuttled UST, 3-2, while NU scored its first win of the season via a 3-2 victory over Ateneo. – Alder T. Almo

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