Ateneo clouters win anew; FEU chessers near 6th title

MANILA, Philippines - Ateneo notched its second straight victory in baseball, Far Eastern University routed the field in men’s chess, De La Salle moved closer to a first round sweep in men’s tennis and University of the East triumphed in women’s volleyball in the UAAP Season 74 in various venues yesterday.

Ateneo needed just eight innings to dispose of National University, 13-3, as Matt Laurel hit a two-run double that produced eight runs for the Blue Eagles at the bottom of the seventh inning. The win was a big follow-up to Ateneo’s 11-5 opening-day rout of Adamson.

In the other men’s baseball match at the Rizal Memorial diamond, University of Santo Tomas beat University of the Philippines, 9-4, for its first win in two games. The Maroons dropped to 0-2.

FEU geared itself up for a shot at a sixth straight crown in men’s chess after the Tams blanked the Falcons, 4-0, at the FEU Mini Theater in Manila.

The Tamaraws leaned on victories by Antonio Chavez, Kevin Mirano, Lennon Hart Salgados and Ritchelieu Salcedo.

In women’s chess, reigning champion De La Salle foiled an FEU twin-kill by beating the Lady Tams, 3.5-0.5.

The Green Archers also won in men’s tennis at Rizal Memorial, downing the Maroons, 4-1, for their third straight win.

Michael Basco led De La Salle with a 6-1, 6-0 victory over Rey Mariano in the second singles and Lorenzo Villamor, a 6-2, 6-2 winner over Joshua Miranda in the third singles. Ed Amor and Juan Miguel Regis, booked a 6-1, 6-3 over Dennis Vitaliano and Miggy Belda and Jericho Alina and Kyle Cordero posted a 6-1, 6-3 triumph over Leandro Fernandez and Rey Briñas in doubles to power the Green Archers to the victory.

Angelo Esguerra prevented a shutout of UP, which dropped to a 2-1 card, when he beat Ernesto Pantua in the first singles, 6-4, 6-1.

Defending women’s tennis champion UST woke up after consecutive losses by beating Ateneo, 4-1, in women’s tennis. UP also won yesterday, 4-1, over Ateneo.

The UE Lady Warriors, on the other hand, fanned a mini two-game streak to improve to 3-4 win-loss and send UP to its eighth straight setback with a 25-20, 25-21, 25-21 victory in women’s volleyball at the Arena in San Juan.

In men’s volleyball, De La Salle beat Ateneo, 25-19, 25-17, 25-21, to share third place with a 5-3 card with NU and Adamson, while UP (4-4) kept its semifinals hopes alive by beating UE (0-8), 25-27, 34-32, 25-19, 25-23.