Blazers claim team tennis crown

Newly crowned Philippine Columbian Association champion Bambi Zoleta unleashed superb form as unbeaten College of St. Benilde blasted De La Salle-A, 3-0, in the finals of the Jollibee-Ateneo Team Tennis Championship Sunday at the Ateneo hardcourt.

Bambi scored the Blazers’ first point when she demolished Kirstie Barraquias, 8-1, in the ladies’ singles. Daniel Bautista defeated Michael Bautista, 8-6, in the men’s doubles to make it 2-0 while Bambi’s elder sister Bien teamed up with Alyssa Labay to beat Trudy Amoranto and Sherry Rose Ong, 8-6, to wrap up the win.

“We’re happy to win, everyone worked hard for this title victory,” said the 16-year-old Bambi, who received the championship trophy from Butch Meily, president of the PLDT Smart Foundation and Anton Almeda, project officer of Smart, during the awarding ceremony. Also present was Ateneo University athletics office assistant director Em Fernandez.

St. Benilde downed Smart, 3-2, in the elimination round and clobbered University of the Philippines-A, 4-1, to reach the championship round of the tournament presented by Smart and supported by Dunlop, Ayala, Ramberry Suites, Arco Rubber Bands and Fresh Fruit.

Other members of the Ace Alcos-mentored Blazers were July Javelosa, Denise Culaba, Larry Antigua, Martin Ramos and Raymond Padigos.

Nikki de Dios, Steffi Dizon, Patrick John Tierro, Irwin de Guzman, Mike Basco, Perene Alina and Soo Han Chung also played for De La Salle-A, which defeated Ateneo, 5-0, in the elims and Jollibee, 3-2, in the semis.

Jollibee, which placed third, was composed of Ivy de Castro, Katrina Pamintuan, Cookie Enriquez, Michelle Pang, Ayo Canlas, Julius Lagman, Jojo Opulencia and Leyan Moncera.