The UST Tiger Shuttlers succumbed to the reigning six-peat champions, National University Bulldogs, falling 2-3 in the UAAP Season 86 Men’s Badminton Tournament on Saturday, Nov. 4, at the Centro Atletico Badminton Center in Quezon City.

The first single’s match featured NU’s Mark Velasco who started with a bang with a 15-5 run to claim the first set of the first match and marked a double digit deference for UST’s Kyle Basilio, 21-10.

However, the second set was extended to power through a Basilio set point, 22-20, NU’s Mark Velasco laid out a 2-1 victory against UST’s Kyle Basilio after scoring four straight points to claim the penultimate set, 21-15.

In the second singles match, Tiger Shuttler’s Lennox Cuilao handed a 2-1 beating to NU’s Marcjoel Perez as Cuilao powered through the final set, 21-15, despite an 8-4 start by the Bulldogs' Perez, 17-21, 21-11, 21-15.

The NU’s pair of Solomon Padiz Jr. and Julius Villabrille dominated UST winning both sets, 21-17, against the Tigers' duo of Janzen Panisales and John Alfonso Dizon in the first doubles match of the day.

With a 1-2 start, the Bulldogs’ James Villarante and Marcjoel Perez dealt a commanding win against UST’s Kyle Basilio with the first set won by an eight point margin, 21-13, before claiming the second set with a double digit advantage, 21-10.

The Tiger Shuttlers capped off the men’s division matches with a win by Sean Dela Cruz as he reverse swept National University’s Miko Mosarbas after a 6-3 finish in the last set, 21-18.

With this, National University locked in a spot in the Final Four and an opportunity to fight for the top spot against UP on Sunday.

The UST Lady Shuttlers also struggled in finding their groove in the women’s division, losing 1-4 to NU and staying winless in UAAP Season 86.

Patricia De Leon started out strong for UST winning 2-1 against NU’s Yvonnie Dema-ano after an 11-2 run to clinch the final set, 21-18.

However, NU’s Ysabel Amora stunned UST’s Clara Ignacio in the second single’s match as she handed a double digit deficit to the Tigers in two sets, 21-10, 21-5.

NU continued their mastery as UST’s duo of Jennifer Saladaga and Rhafi Santos was presented a 0-2 loss by NU’s Sarah Barredo and Lee De Leon, 15-21, 14-21, in the first doubles match.

UST’s Marielle Alvarez and Patricia De Leon remained within striking distance but yielded to NU’s Jeyo Pinlac and Alysa Desacolam, and were swept in their fourth match in the women’s division, 18-21, 17-21.

The last singles match for the women’s division was capped off by another horrific sweep as UST’s Maria Belen was given an 11-point deficit in the finishing set, 10-21, against the Bulldog’s Karyll Rio.

The UST Tiger Shuttlers’ next matches will be against Ateneo on Sunday, Nov. 5 at the same venue as Ateneo aims to fight for a Final Four spot.

On the flip side, the UST Lady Shuttlers hope to claim their first win against Adamson on the same date and venue.