THE ATENEO Lady Eagles were defeated by the National University (NU) Lady Bulldogs, with a team-tie score of 2-3 in their last elimination round match in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 81 Women’s Badminton Tournament on Saturday, October 6, at the Rizal Memorial Stadium.
The first match of the day saw Samantha Ramos taking on NU’s Sarah Barredo. Ramos played catch up from the get-go as she struggled to offset the Lady Bulldog’s offense. Despite sparks of momentum from the captain, she could not overcome her steady opponent, and dropped the match in two straight sets, 11-21, 15-21.
[First Singles]
Barredo inches closer to finishing off the match.
Ateneo 12 NU 19#UAAPBadminton pic.twitter.com/goKIwZ2p1f
— Gio P. Guinto (@Gio_TheGUIDON) October 6, 2018
Chanelle Lunod took to the court for the second single’s matchup against Jiselle Capillo. She was in cruise control during the first set and walked away with the win, 21-15. In the end, Capillo’s efforts in the second set were not enough to pressure a very composed Lunod. The Lady Eagle walked away with a close 21-18 point win for the second set, giving the Blue and White their first match of the day.
[Second Singles]
Lunod puts off Capillo’s late-game efforts to run away with Ateneo’s first win of the day, 21-15, 21-18!
Team-tie score: Ateneo 1 NU 1#UAAPBadminton pic.twitter.com/mCxmxXTMgV
— Gio P. Guinto (@Gio_TheGUIDON) October 6, 2018
In the three-set thriller between Ateneo’s Ramos and Bea Felizardo, and NU’s Barredo and Thea Pomar, the Blue and White tandem did not let up easily. Ramos and Felizardo scraped a first-set win, 21-17, but were pegged back in the second, 10-21. The Lady Eagles could not stop their NU counterparts from sealing the match in the third and final set, 12-21.
[First Doubles]
NU begins to pull away in the third after scoring four consecutive points.
Ateneo 4 NU 10#UAAPBadminton pic.twitter.com/DKMbTytzq3
— Gio P. Guinto (@Gio_TheGUIDON) October 6, 2018
The pairing of Lunod and Geva De Vera, which has had much success in the past, did not disappoint in the second doubles match of the day. They entered the first interval with a commanding 11-2 lead and eventually closed out the set with a score of 21-9. The duo took the second set to defeat Capillo and Jeya Pinlac, 21-15.
[Second Doubles]
Lunod and De Vera look to seal the game in two sets, keeping a 5-point lead.
Ateneo 11 NU 6#UAAPBadminton pic.twitter.com/pssnjN5JAt
— Gio P. Guinto (@Gio_TheGUIDON) October 6, 2018
The final match was a do-or-die between hardened finisher, De Vera, against Pomar. Despite holding a steady lead for the majority of the first set, a string of errors eventually cost De Vera the set, 23-25. Giving it all she had, De Vera put on a fiery display in the second set to keep her team alive. Unfortunately, the match ended in heartbreaking fashion, as the net cord ended the match in Pomar’s favor, 23-25, 18-21.
This loss puts the Lady Eagles at a 4-2 standing at the end of the elimination round of the UAAP Women’s Badminton Tournament. This leaves them at third place entering the semi-finals.
Their next game will be a semi-finals rematch against the second-seeded Lady Bulldogs, at 1pm on Sunday, October 7 at the same venue.
Team-tie Score: Ateneo 2 NU 3
1st singles: Samantha Ramos los. Sarah Barredo, 11-21, 15-21.
2nd singles: Chanelle Lunod def. Jiselle Capillo, 21-15, 21-18.
1st doubles: Samantha Ramos/Bea Felizardo los. Sarah Barredo/Thea Pomar, 21-17, 10-21, 12-21.
2nd doubles: Chanelle Lunod/Geva De Vera def. Jiselle Capillo/Jeya Pinlac, 21-9, 21-15.
3rd singles: Geva De Vera los. Thea Pomar, 23-25, 18-21.
