Dolphins sink table tennis foes

Philippine Christian University-Dasmariñas (PCU-D) humbled the opposition to emerge overall champion in both the men’s and women’s divisions in the inaugural staging of the table tennis tournament in the PGFlex-Universities and Colleges Athletic League (UCAL) Season 8 at the Homecourt by Ayala Malls-Manila Bay in Parañaque recently.

In a dazzling display of talent, the Dolphins won all but one of the six events contested in the three-day competition — one of two latest sports added in the calendar of the fastest growing league in the country.

University of Batangas’ (UB) Princess Gabrielle Brotonel denied PCU-D of the clean sweep by reigning in the women’s singles event at the expense of PCU-D’s Marianne Joyce Peralta.

The tandem of Ivy Biscochio and Marbie Joy Villacastin, however, made up for the school’s singles defeat by ruling the women’s doubles gold apart from leading the school to team championship.

That gave them a total of 26 points, good enough to beat UB by four points.

Philippine Women’s University (PWU) finished third after tallying 16 points, followed by Manila Central University (8) and Centro Escolar University (4).

It was all PCU-D show in the men’s side with Kenn Franklin Gutierrez leading the juggernaut, claiming the singles gold after overpowering Arnel Luis Acsay of CEU.

Russel Luna and Engelo Columna also delivered by winning the doubles gold as PCU-D tallied 28 points, 12 points clear of second placer MCU.

UB wound up third with 14 points followed by CEU (9) and PWU (9).