THE ATENEO Blue and Lady Eagles competed in Day 2 of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Table Tennis tournament on Sunday, September 24 at the University of the Philippines-Diliman (UPD) College of Human Kinetics Gym in Quezon City.
Blue Eagles
The Blue Eagles opened the day with a tie against their Katipunan rivals from the University of the Philippines (UP). Jolo Matias started in the first singles match where he narrowly lost against UP’s Chua in straight sets, 8-11, 10-12, 10-12. In the second match, James Samontina found himself down two sets to one, 5-11, 6-11, 11-9 before running out of steam in the fourth, where he lost, 4-11, to give the Fighting Maroons a two-match advantage.
In the doubles event, however, Andre Rondolo and Jasper Sy managed to pull ahead two sets to one, 11-5, 9-11, 11-7. In a tight fourth set, the duo faced stiffer competition in a back-and-forth for the win, ultimately getting the go-ahead point to give the Blue and White the victory after a 13-11 finale.
In the fourth match, veteran David Dayao fought a tight battle against UP’s Lomayan where all sets were pushed to eleven points or more. After a 10-12 loss, Dayao bounced back to take a 13-11 second set win. Lomayan then fended Dayao off with 9-11, 9-11 defeats to secure the team-tie for the Fighting Maroons.
In the next team-tie against National University (NU), Matias shrugged off a challenge from NU’s Sta. Ana, 11-6, 11-6, 11-6. The next matches, however, did not end well for the Blue and White, as Dayao was outmatched by J. Misal in the second men’s singles match at 4-11, 7-11, 3-11. CJ Carrasco and Huab overpowered Rondolo and Sy in three sets, 6-11, 4-11, 7-11 before Samontina was disposed off in a similar fashion, 7-11, 5-11, 11-13.
The Blue Eagles find themselves at 0-4 in the elimination round standings of the competition.
Lady Eagles
While the Blue Eagles continue to search for the first win of the season, the Lady Eagles finally managed to break through the slump with a win against Adamson University (AdU) in four matches.
Hellari Calvo took the first match, 11-8, 11-9, 13-11 before team captain Jane Dela Cruz took a comfortable win at 11-5, 11-9, 11-8. Trina Cruz and Sharmane Ong bowed out of the first women’s doubles match in a tense fifth setter, 12-10, 15-17, 11-3, 10-12, 11-9 to extend the tie. Chen finished off the Lady Falcons, however, with a 11-4, 4-11, 12-10, 11-8 win.
In the afternoon matchup, however, Far Eastern University (FEU) swept through the Lady Eagles in three matches. Dela Cruz put in a valiant effort before falling in four sets, 11-4, 4-11, 8-11, 8-11. Calvo was then swept aside in three sets, 5-11, 7-11, 8-11. FEU doubles pair Sacay and Talay closed out Chua and Cruz, 1-11, 5-11, 4-11 to seal the win for the Lady Tamaraws.
This leaves the Lady Eagles with a 1-3 win-loss record in the elimination round standings of the UAAP Table Tennis tourney.
Day 3 of the UAAP tournament for the Blue and Lady Eagles will resume on Thursday, September 28 at the UPD College of Human Kinetics Gym in Quezon City.
Team Tie and Set Scores
Lady Eagles
Ateneo-AdU: 3-1
First Women’s Singles (Calvo vs Mutuc): 11-8, 11-9, 13-11 S
Second Women’s Singles (Dela Cruz vs Jarito): 11-5, 11-9, 11-8
First Women’s Doubles (Cruz and Ong vs Dinglasan and Pangantison): 12-10, 15-17, 11-3, 10-12, 11-9
Third Women’s Singles (Chen vs Ricafort): 11-4, 4-11, 12-10, 11-8
Ateneo-UP: 1-3
First Women’s Singles (Dela Cruz vs Pineda):11-4, 4-11, 8-11, 8-11
Second Women’s Singles (Calvo vs Fadol): 5-11, 7-11, 8-11
First Women’s Doubles (Cruz and Chua vs Sacay and Talay): 1-11, 5-11, 4-11
Blue Eagles
Ateneo-FEU: 1-3
First Men’s Singles (Matias vs Chua): 8-11, 10-12, 10-12
Second Men’s Singles (Samontina vs Eludo): 5-11, 6-11, 11-9, 4-11
First Men’s Doubles (Sy and Rondolo vs Cagas and Santelices): 11-5, 9-11, 11-7, 13-11
Third Men’s Singles: (Dayao vs Lomayan) 10-12, 13-11, 9-11, 9-11
Ateneo-NU: 1-3
First Men’s Singles (Matias vs Sta. Ana): 11-6, 11-6, 11-6
Second Men’s Singles (Dayao vs Misal): 4-11, 7-11, 3-11
First Men’s Doubles (Rondolo and Sy vs Carrasco and Huab): 6-11, 4-11, 7-11
Third Men’s Singles (Samontina vs Villamor): 7-11, 5-11, 11-13
