Toyo Gakuen netters spill DLSU bets

MANILA, Philippines - Toyo Gakuen University banked on the solid game of freshman Shohei Maruta as it trounced La Salle, 8-4, in the Philippines-Japan University Friendship Tennis ’09 at the Alabang Country Club last Tuesday.

The lanky 6-foot-2 Maruta powered the visiting collegiate team in boys doubles and singles, teaming up with Kazuto Kawata in beating Pemrick Alina and Ed Amor, 8-4, before pulling off a 6-3 win over the La Salle’s No. 1 boys player Mike Basco.

The power-serving Maruta has never lost a singles match against Ateneo, University of the Philippines and La Salle. Of the three local universities, only Ateneo managed to post a victory over the visitors.

Maruta’s mettle will be put to test as Toyo Gakuen University plays the RP national pool late Wednesday at the Palms Country Club.

Ryohei Okada and Kazuhiro Hashima notched the first win with an 8-4 victory over David Dekoenigswater and Johnwill Baldonado.

In the boys singles, only Boom Regis managed to score a victory for La Salle, routing Okada, 6-1. Kazuto Kawata trounced Marlo Espedido (6-3), while Hashima downed Pemrick Alina (6-3).

Toyo Gakuen also dominated the girls doubles with Kana Morimoto and Ayaka Iwata drubbing Enah Baba and Kirstie Barraguias, 8-2; and Yumiko Watanabe and Kurumi Suzuki nipping Regina Santiago and Martina Guba, 8-7 (3).

But the La Salle girls bounced back in singles with Guba, Santiago and Barraguias scoring over Morimoto (6-4), Watanabe (6-3) and Suzuki (6-3), respectively. Iwata routed Baba, 6-2, in the other girls singles.