Archers coast to 3-peat in matchplay over Eagles

TAGAYTAY – La Salle racked up the needed points in just 10 matches, scoring five and cruising to a six-point win over Ateneo for its third straight victory in the La Salle-Ateneo Match Play at Tagaytay Highlands here yesterday.

The Eagles took the singles matches, 10.5-7.5, but the nine-point lead the Archers built through two days of solid play and superb teamwork  proved too much for the Loyola-based squad to overcome.

Miko Alejandro blasted Gab Atienza, 5&3, in match 3, capping a flawless stint for the Archers, who wrapped up their duel with a 24-18 victory, their third straight after losing in the inaugurals in 2004 at Sherwood.

“We outlasted them at the stretch. They started strong early but we hung on,” La Salle skipper Freddie Mendoza.

The 19-year-old Alejandro, mainstay of the ICTSI golf squad, won all his matches in the foursome and fourball and emerged the top scorer with five points for La Salle, which took the opener, 8.5-3.5, then sustained its fiery form with an 8-4 win Thursday.

Tommy Manotoc, the reigning Asia-Pacific seniors champion, outlasted Marty Ilagan, 2&1; Justin Tambunting shocked national amateur champion Anthony Fernando, 1-up; Anya Tanpinco turned back Leana Farrales, 3&2; while Francis Gaston and Kim Hong halved their matches against Junjun Plana and Lovelyn Guioguio, for five points that clinched the victory for La Salle.

Marcel Puyat, 14, crushed King Stehmeier, 9&7, in the first match to give some measure of momentum and inspiration for the Eagles in the 18 singles matches which they hoped to dominate in a bid to foil the Archers’ bid.

But Alejandro, Manotoc, Tambunting and Tanpinco dashed whatever hopes Ateneo had nurtured for a comeback with early victories that put an anti-climactic ending to what has been billed as a classic duel between the country’s top two schools with a storied sporting rivalry.

Also winning for La Salle were JP Reyes and Justin Limjap, who bested Jeric Hechanova, 2&1, and Benjie Sarmiento, 4&2, respectively, while Miko Yee halved the point with Manoling Chan for La Salle’s 7.5 point in another windy day in this event organized by Belle Corp. and hosted by Tagaytay Highlands.

Ateneo, on the other hand, drew full, though inconsequential points from John Gobing, Mari Hechanova, Jingy Tuason, Iggy Clavecilla, Jovi Neri, Yoyong Velez, Bayani Garcia and Joel Bernaldez.

Gobing beat Jenz Tecson, 4&3; Mari Hechanova prevailed over Marco Olives, 2&1; Tuason dominated Oliver Gan, 5&3; Clavecilla downed Brixton Aw, 3&2; Neri subdued Bones Floro, 2&1; Velez smothered Sammy Sy, 4&2; Garcia edged Chuckie Hong, 2&1; and Bernaldez whipped Raffy Garcia, 3-up. – Dante Navarro