NATIONAL University stayed perfect in both the men’s and women’s divisions, moving closer to its first-ever golden double yesterday in the UAAP Season 80 taekwondo tournament at the Blue Eagle Gym.
The back-to-back title-seeking Lady Bulldogs followed up their 6-1 win over University of the East Wednesday with a 7-0 shutout of Far Eastern University for a spotless 3-0 card.
Gunning for its first-ever men’s crown, NU beat University of the Philippines, 6-1, and Ateneo, 7-0, in succession to stay undefeated in four bouts.
FEU is also unbeaten in men’s action with a 2-0 slate following last Wednesday’s narrow 4-3 victory over UP.
University of Santo Tomas seized solo second with a 5-2 victory over long-time rival De La Salle as it primed up to its much-anticipated duel with NU today, which could be the women’s title decider.
In the morning session, the Tigresses, who now sport a 3-1 slate, scored a quick 7-0 victory over the Lady Tamaraws.
UP overwhelmed UE, 6-1, to improve to 2-1 in third place in the other distaff side match. De La Salle, meanwhile, has lost two straight after winning its two opening-day fights to fall in fourth spot.
In the other men’s morning bouts, titleholder Growling Tigers nipped Ateneo, 4-3, for a 2-1 card, while the Green Jins toppled UE, 6-1, to enter the win column after a 0-2 start.
Meanwhile, reigning girls’ champion National University and University of Santo Tomas hope to seal another title duel as they faced lower-ranked foes in the UAAP Season 80 high school volleyball Final Four today at the Filoil Flying V Centre.
The Bullpups take on fourth-ranked Far Eastern-University at 11 a.m., while the Junior Tigresses battle No. 3 De La Salle-Zobel at 9:30 a.m.
Holding twice-to-beat bonuses for finishing top two in the eliminations, NU and UST need only to win once to make it to the best-of-three Finals for the fifth straight year.
The Bullpups foiled the Junior Tigresses’ sweep bid with a 25-20, 25-15, 26-24 win over the weekend. NU tied UST at 11-1, but the Bustillos-based spikers took the No. 1 ranking by virtue of a superior quotient.
The Junior Lady Spikers wound up third in the elims with a 7-5 card, while the Baby Tamaraws finished fourth with an even 6-6 card.
NU and UST dispute the remaining twice-to-beat incentive in the boys’ Final Four at 8 a.m. The Bullpups and the Tiger Cubs ended up tied in second place at the end of double-round eliminations at 11-3.
FEU-Diliman, which finished the eliminations with the league-best record at 12-2 card, take on University of the East (10-4) in the Final Four starting at 8 a.m. on Sunday.