MANILA--National University-A and the University of the Philippines-A scored separate wins in separate venues in Ang Liga Divsion 1 play on Saturday.
The Bulldogs of head coach Mari Aberasturi now stand alone on top of the table after downing reigning UAAP champions Ateneo-A in the afternoon tiff at the Gatorade-Chelsea Blue Pitch in Makati City.
Despite the dismissal of Marvin Ace Viray in the 10th minute on a backfired overhead kick that hit Ged Poe, 10-man NU-A stuck to its tactics and were rewarded with a 3-0 win over the Blue Eagles who are also shorthanded due to the suspension of Niño Herrera.
The Bulldogs took a quick 2-0 lead at halftime as Sean Julius Epili and Owen Jasper Padernal scored from close range in the 40th and 43rd minutes, respectively.
Ateneo tried to get back into the match in the second half with a variety of opportunities, but they could not break the backline of NU-A, with goalkeeper Hayeson Pepito thwarting those attempts.
Ross Lee Lawagan then gave NU-A all three points for the second straight match in the 84th minute by converting on a tap-in from a set piece.
Over in San Beda in the morning, the Fighting Maroons of coach Anto Gonzales bounced back from their last week’s setback to Lyceum in a massive way when they sunk Emilio Aguinaldo College in a record 12-0 wipeout with Raphael Vincent Resuma netting a double brace to zoom on top of the goal-scoring charts.
UP-A already settled the match in the first 37 minutes after leading, 5-0, when they added five more in the last eight minutes of the first half, turning a comprehensive rout into a clear overkill by going 10-0 up at the half.
Resuma scored his four-goal haul all in the first half as he found the net in the 4th, 16th, 27th and 43rd minutes.
Kintaro Miyagi (17', 45+1') and Fidel Tacardon (34', 42') joined in the scoring party by each adding a brace of their own, while Daniel Saavedra and Miguel Clariño both found the back of the net in the 38th and 40th minutes respectively.
UP-A could have scored more in the second half, but they could not convert their chances for most of it until Joaquin Mathay scored from close range in the 78th minute, with Anton Guariña putting the finishing touches with a goal in the 80th minute. With the rout, UP zoomed from seventh place to second by garnering a massive goal difference of plus-9.
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