(Photo by Jed Aquino) The De La Salle University (DLSU) Green Shuttlers were a house on fire in their first game of the UAAP Season 82 after blanking the Adamson University (ADU) Soaring Falcons, 5-0, yesterday morning, September 18, at the Centro Athletico Badminton Court. Later in the afternoon, the Lady Shuttlers also mopped the University of Santo Tomas (UST) Golden Tigresses, 5-0.
GREEN SHUTTLERS VS ADU
Team captain Jan-e Mangubat gave La Salle its first won match with a three-set thriller against Elbren Concha. Mangubat trailed in sets, 0-1, after losing the first set, 15-21. He then bounced back in the second set, 21-15, and went on to clinch the match in the third set, 21-10.
Graduating Green Shuttler Andrew Pineda made quick work of Kevin Fabros, 21-13, 21-16, for a commanding 2-0 match lead.
Mangubat and Hanz Bernardo, who were teammates in Ateneo before moving to La Salle, clinched the victory for the Taft-based squad after sweeping Fabros and David Libanan, 21-17, 21-18.
Pineda and rookie Joshua Morada likewise won a tightly-contested second doubles match against Concha and Johnrick Macabenta, 21-18, 22-20.
Bernardo capped the sweep for the Green-and-White with an easy victory over Libanan, 21-13, 21-10.
LADY SHUTTLERS VS UST
Despite missing the services of former Most Valuable Player Nicole Albo, who committed to the upcoming SEA Games, the Lady Shuttlers seemed fine as they started with a bang.
Team captain Iyah Sevilla gave her opponent Elij Pena a hard time to score to open the tie, 21-7, 21-10.
Rookie Mia Manguilimotan defeated Kristeen Geronimo in the second singles match, 21-13, 22-20.
Sevilla partnered with sophomore Shuttler Kanna Baba in the first doubles match. The duo dominated, 21-14, 21-10, as La Salle officially logged the win over UST.
Manguilimotan and fellow rookie Palma Cruz trounced Geronimo and Stephanie Mortera, while Baba sealed the deal with a 21-9, 21-19 decision over Mortera in the third singles match.
The DLSU Green Shuttlers and Lady Shuttlers will continue their quest tomorrow, September 20, at the same venue. The Green Shuttlers will face the UE Red Warriors at 8 AM, while the Lady Shuttlers will meet their archrivals ADMU Lady Eagles at 1 PM.