Oro netter Baltar makes top-16 round

CEBU CITY--Oro’s female netter Casandra Nicole Baltar smoothly marched to the top-16 women’s singles in the ongoing 2018 Philippine National Games table tennis event at Robinsons Galleria here.

This, as Baltar took a bye in the draw lots for top-32 that automatically propelled her to the women’s top-16.

His male counterparts in veteran Dario Hernane and the youthful Vincent Dane Macalam also advanced early in the men’s top-16 with same results.

Antonette Neri was unfortunate in the draw lots after she got paired against Manila’s Joanna Go in the top-32.

Despite that, Neri showed her prowess that sent her match against Go to a thriller.

Go of San Beda University was one game away in closing the match as she took the first two sets via 11-5 and 11-9 win.

But, Neri bounced back in getting the third and fourth sets, 11-9 and 11-7, to force a deciding fifth set.

Experience worked well for Go as she outlasted Neri in the final set with a pulsating 11-9 win.

“Maayo ang lakaw ni Antonette labina nga gituhoan nga member sa Philippine team iyang kontra,” said Hernane, the head delegation for table tennis.

All top-16 matches are being scheduled at 11 am today.

Meanwhile, Team CdeO volleyball men advanced to the quarterfinal despite absorbing their lone defeat via 18-25, 2523, 20-25, 21-25 against host Cebu City in the indoor volleyball men’s event yesterday at the University of San Carlos main campus gym.

Team CdeO will face either Cebu Province or Davao City in the quarterfinals.