THE ATENEO blue shuttlers defeated the De La Salle University (DLSU) Green Archers by a score of 3-2 in the University Athletics Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 79 badminton tournament on Wednesday, October 5, 2016 at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in Manila.
To get the ball rolling for the team-tie, Ateneo’s Emilio Mangubat squared off against DLSU’s Monterubio. The first set saw Mangubat get off to a rocky start as he found himself on the receiving end of a 3-0 DLSU run. Mangubat however, soon gained momentum as he went on a 3-0 run of his own before finding himself exchanging points with his DLSU counterpart up until the interval. Following the interval, Mangubat did not look back as he eventually went on to win the first set, 21-17. The second set proved to be different from the first, as Mangubat capitalized on a strong start to enter the interval with a seven point lead (11-4). Despite an early DLSU run, Mangubat would go on to win the set (21-16).
Succeeding Mangubat for the second game of the team-tie was Clarence Filart. Filart found himself going head-to-head against DLSU’s Cayanan, which proved to be a game of back-and-forths. Cayanan took little time to punish Ateneo— leading Filart by seven early on (9-2). Filart however, responded with a run of his own to eventually tie the game at 19-19. Filart then proceeded to score off two consecutive smashes to win the first set for Ateneo (21-19). The second set proved to be a much closer battle than the first, as both players exchanged points up until the seven point mark. Filart however, would go on a 4-0 run to enter the interval with a four point lead (11-7). DLSU however, would go on to win the second set following some unforced errors from Filart (21-19). The third set was once again a tightly contested one, with both players exchanging points until the end. A miscalculated smash however, cost Filart the set as he went on to lose by two points (21-19).
For the third game of the team-tie, the tandem of Hanz Bernardo and Emilio Mangubat squared of against DLSU’s tandem of J.Monterubio and Cayanan. The game was tightly contested, with both sides alternately exchanging points until the 19-point mark. A smash from Bernardo, along with a net error from DLSU, gifted Ateneo the first set (21-19). The second set started in similar fashion, with both sides exchanging points up until the end. However, DLSU ultimately prevailed in the second set courtesy of some unforced errors from the Ateneo tandem (21-18). The third set provedto be like the sets before it, with both tandems exchanging points up until the interval. However, the Ateneo tandem broke free in the 190point mark, scoring on two consecutive smashes to claim the third game for Ateneo (21-19).
The match was then followed by the second doubles game of the day, with Carlo Remo and Patrick Gecosala representing the Blue and White. Early in the first set, Remo and Gecosala got off to a racing start, going on a 4-0 run before eventually entering the interval with a 5 point lead (11-6). However, errors from the Ateneo tandem proved to be costly as they eventually lost the first set by a score of 21-15. The second set proved to be no different as errors once again proved to be costly, with the tandem losing by a score of 21-17.
With the team-tie score now tied at 2-2, the singles match between Ateneo’s Hanz Bernardo and DLSU’s Pineda was to act as the crucial decider of the team-tie. The first set once again, was tightly contested, as both players exchanged points up until the 16-point mark. Bernardo however, responded with a 5-0 run of his own to win the first set for the blue shuttlers. With chants of “One Big Fight” echoing around the arena, Bernardo was determined to win the set as he raced on to an early 6-2 lead. His strong start was more than enough as he eventually won the set by a score of 21-16.
After the game, team captain Sean Chan was visibly pleased with the team’s performance. “I think that everyone played really well today. Sure there were some errors but I feel that it was still a strong performance.”
With this win, the blue shuttlers will square off against twice-to-beat University of the Philippines (UP) in the semifinals of UAAP Season 79. The winner of that will advance to the finals with a chance to beat the undefeated National University (NU) Bulldogs in the finals of UAAP Season 79.
