LAST OCTOBER 15, the 79th season of the University of Athletics Association (UAAP) Badminton competition came to a dramatic conclusion with both the Ateneo blue and lady shuttlers facing off against National University (NU) and University of the Philippines (UP) respectively in do-or-die finals matchups. Despite their resolute performances, neither of the two teams could overcome their opponents to unseat the reigning champions for both the men’s and women’s divisions of the tournament. A two-match loss to NU handed the blue shuttlers silver while a thrilling three-match defeat to UP yielded the same result for the lady shuttlers.

Blue shuttlers finish second to end two-year bronze streak

“Heart.” That is the one word that Team Captain Sean Chan used to describe the shuttlers’ remarkable season. It’s certainly hard to disagree with him, as the blue shuttlers journeyed from barely cracking the final four, to beating archrival De La Salle University (DLSU) in the first round of the playoffs, to trumping twice-to-beat UP in the semifinals and eventually earning the finals showdown with the season’s undefeated National University (NU) Bulldogs.

From the season’s onset, the blue shuttlers’ heart was tested as they found themselves humbled by UP, 1-4, in the opening team-tie. “We had a very rough start losing to UP. We took that loss as a wake-up call and it worked in our favor as we were able to claim team-tie after team-tie after that initial defeat,” said Chan.

Following that defeat, the blue shuttlers went on to claim their next two team-ties before eventually falling to a 5-0 sweep by NU, who, at that point, had not lost a single match since the blue shuttlers’ own title season in UAAP Season 76. The shuttlers knew that they had to further improve their performances, especially with their next match being against their bitter archrivals, DLSU.

Entering the DLSU game, the team knew that there was simply no room for error. The match saw Ateneo claim a 3-2 victory, with the team’s morale skyrocketing to an all-time high, courtesy of a crucial win by Hanz Bernardo in the final singles. Against all odds, the shuttlers overturned a string of playoff matches to stake a claim on UAAP gold as they managed to secure a finals spot after besting UP in the semifinals.

Even with the defeat to NU in mind, Team Captain Sean Chan claims that the team has much to be proud of. “Finishing silver is definitely something to be proud of. Finally going up a spot from two years of 2nd runner-up finishes just shows us that we are a formidable team. Furthermore, it’s a step forward to reclaiming the glory that was ours back in Season 76,” said Chan.

Chan also believes that his team can eventually triumph over all odds to eventually bring back the badminton crown to Loyola Heights. “To the Season 80 badminton team, let’s make the dream of capturing gold a reality, I know that this team has all the right ingredients to claim the throne, we just need to believe we can,” said Chan. With many key players returning next season and reigning Rookie of the Year Keoni Asuncion on board once more, the team certainly has what it takes to bring home the glory for the Blue and White.

Lady shuttlers seal second-place finish for third year running

The Ateneo lady shuttlers secured their third successive first runner-up finish, narrowly missing out on the gold after facing Katipunan rivals UP in the finals for a third year running. The UAAP Season 79 finals saw the two neighboring universities battle it out, with Ateneo taking the advantage after putting the Maroons to the sword in the first team-tie. The Lady Eagles looked set to snatch their first gold in three years after taking a 2-0 lead in the second team-tie from their first two singles matches but the determined Lady Maroons successfully repelled Ateneo’s attempts to bring the finals to an end early and push for a third finals team-tie. The final matchup eventually saw Ateneo concede to UP and take silver.

The finals defeat to UP echoed memories of the Ateneo lady shuttlers’ loss against the Maroons in the opening game of the season. Despite the slow start to their UAAP campaign, the lady shuttlers claimed consecutive wins against their opponents, finishing the round-robin at third after defeats to rivals UP and DLSU.

Team Captain Bianca Carlos was keen to emphasize that the initial loss to UP did not stunt belief that the team could go far, attributing the loss to a lack of the “UAAP feel.” “Okay lang matalo on the first day [because] it pushed us to train harder and prepare—we knew we would face [UP] in the finals,” she says.

A surprising loss to DLSU in the round-robin also added pressure on the shuttlers as they finished behind DLSU in the standings, giving the Archers a twice-to-beat advantage against third-placed Ateneo. This did not faze the determined Lady Eagles as they had their hearts set on challenging UP for gold at the finals.

The lady shuttlers kept faith in their ability to overturn the twice-to-beat disadvantage in the semi-finals against the Lady Archers. “Last year we lost to La Salle too so we had to go through the twice-to-beat [in the semi-finals, so this year] we believed we could do it again,” admits Carlos.

In addition to their sixth successive podium finish, Ateneo lady shuttler Chanelle Lunod claimed the Rookie of the Year award after going straight into an integral doubles role for the team and putting in a number of notable performances. Carlos, a recipient of the same honor in season 76, was eager to heap praise on the Blue and White rookies, singling out Lunod and fellow rookie Samantha Ramos as essential members to the team. “Our rookies did well. They [were like] veterans because they played really, really well. They really stepped up,” says Carlos. Already looking ahead to the 80th rerun of the UAAP, Carlos believes that the future looks bright with Lunod and Ramos already bringing so much to the team.

Carlos does not overlook the role Coaches Kennie and Kennevic Asuncion played in their season, appreciating the guidance the two provided for the Lady Eagles. “They encourage us; they push us every day. They guided us throughout the season,” she says. Paired with an intimate support system between the players, belief during their season was something of a powerful and unwavering force.

Ultimately, the Blue and White Captain expressed her satisfaction with the season. “I’m very proud of everyone. I know they did their best, they gave their all. We [have made] history,” she says.

Despite falling to second place after the rough journeys of each team, Coach Kennie Asuncion expresses her pride over the hard work and dedication of her players. As this feat came into reach, she expects the team to set their eyes on the gold.

“After the 2 silvers, we intend to go for the gold. Though it’s like we are up against an entire national team squad, the challenge keeps us alive and wanting for more,” she says.