Julie Ann Hilador needed an extra set to thwart Rose Ann dela Cruz’s bid, 11-9, 6-11, 11-6, while the doubles tandem of Criselda Sarabia and Mary Sebastian whipped Sandy Banquilles and Czarina Barbo, 15-0, 15-12, as FEU clinched its tie against UST, 2-0.
The FEU men’s squad sustained that momentum and thumped its UE rivals via the same score with Wilmer Frias turning back Dodie Sertan, 16-17, 15-5, 15-9, and the doubles pair of Mark Anthony Natividad and Christopher Flores outclassing UE’s RJ Cruz and Edison Cupcopin, 15-9, 15-11.
The FEU men’s and ladies shuttlers thus brought home P10,000 each plus Gosen rackets, and gift packages from Alaska, Bachus, Colours and Lactacyd for the women’s squad.
But it was Valle Verde’s Kennie Asuncion, who earlier ruled the women’s singles for the fourth straight year, proved to be the biggest winner in the JVC-sponsored event, winning all her events, including her tandem with brother Kennevic that produced a 15-2, 15-3 victory over Jaime Llanes and Alma Ledesma in the mixed doubles, and her tandem with Irene Chiu, which netted them the ladies doubles title with a 15-2, 15-3 win over Ledesma and Janina Paredes.
Ian Piencenaves redeemed some measure of pride as he teamed up with Arolas Amahit Jr. to beat Kennie Asuncion and Melvin Llanes, 15-8, 6-15, 15-2, and bag the men’s doubles in the centerpiece event.
Other winners in the fourth staging of what has become the unofficial national badminton championships were Tim Ang and Kevin Dalisay, who swept the Magnaye brothers — Patrique and Peter — to cop the doubles crown in the boys‚ division, 15-10, 15-3; Toby Gadi and Raquel Guerrero, who fashioned out a 15-9, 15-0 victory over Andrei Babad and Rachel Guerrero to win the juniors mixed doubles title; and Raquel Guerrero and Rachel Guerrero, who took the junior doubles plum by defeating Karyn Velez and Janina Paredes, 15-11, 15-4.
In the veterans division, Ricardo Morales and Naresh Ramnani bagged the doubles crown with a 15-7, 15-7 victory over Antonio Mance and Anthony Ave; then Ramnani teamed up with Elaine Lao to win the mixed doubles title with a 15-5, 15-2 rout of Brandon Chan and Guinevere Chan; while Jeanette Banquiles and Guinevere Chan won the women’s double diadem with a 15-4, 15-7 triumph over Elaine Lao and Emi Jorge.
The finals of the various categories will be telecast on IBC-13 on Aug. 7 (9-11 p.m.-veterans, corporate), Aug. 8 (7-9 p.m.-juniors, collegiate) and Aug. 9 (8-10 p.m.-elite, category); and on Solar Sports Aug. 17-19 (10-12 mn) and Aug.27-29 (8-10 p.m.).