IN A replay of last season’s dramatic finals showdown, the Ateneo Women’s Badminton team fell to their rivals from the University of the Philippines (UP) in the University Athletics Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 80 badminton tournament in a 2-3 finish on Saturday, September 30, at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in Manila.
Today’s defeat blemishes the Lady Eagles’ previously spotless record, handing them their first loss of the season to bump the team down to a 3-1 win-loss record in the tournament.
Trixie Malibiran opened action in the first women’s singles, clashing with UP’s Marina Caculitan. Although Malibiran kept pace with Caculitan in the early stages of the first set, she eventually found herself conceding the first game to UP by scores of 12-21, 13-21.
Team Captain Cassie Lim featured in the second women’s singles, playing Lady Fighting Maroon Mary Ann Maranon. The first set saw the Blue and White fall victim to an untimely net error at 17-21, with Lim then recovering the second set at 21-16 to level the playing field. The third set proved a much tighter affair for both, but the exchange of firepower eventually ceased with Lim losing at 20-22.
Veteran Bianca Carlos paired up with Joella de Vera in the first women’s doubles, clashing with Francisco and Alcala from UP. The Lady Fighting Maroon duo dominated throughout, steamrolling the Blue and White in straight sets at 11-21, 11-21.
Trixie Malibiran returned to the court to join forces with Chanelle Lunod in the second doubles game of the day, taking on the Inlayo and Maranon pairing of UP. Despite losing the first set by a large margin of 13 points at 8-21, the pairing did enough to gift the Lady Eagles with their first game win of the day by scores of 21-16 and 22-20.
Bianca Carlos suited up in the last singles game of the day, where she scored the Lady Eagles’ second win of the day with scores of 21-15, 21-13.
The Lady Eagles will be looking to bounce back from today’s defeat in their showdown with De La Salle University (DLSU) tomorrow at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in Manila.
Match Score: Ateneo 2 UP 3
Set Scores:
First women’s singles: 12-21, 13-21
Second women’s singles: 17-21, 21-16, 20-22
First women’s doubles: 11-21, 11-21
Second women’s doubles: 8-21, 21-16, 22-20
Third women’s singles: 21-15, 21-13
