The Ateneo Men’s Table Tennis team resumed their University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 81 campaign with wins by rookies Jamie De Asis, Mark Parman and Carlo Chua that powered the Blue Eagles over the Far Eastern University (FEU) Tamaraws, 3-1, in the first round of the tournament before later falling to the University of the East (UE) Red Warriors in the second round, 1-3, on Saturday, September 29, at the University of the Philippines (UP) College of Human Kinetics Gym.

Blue Eagles

In the first match of the day against the Tamaraws, De Asis went up against FEU’s Drazevik Angcos and was immediately tested as he and his opponent went the distance in a five set affair that saw him ultimately coming out on top, 11-8, 10-12, 5-11, 11-5, 12-10.

Fellow rookie Parman carried over the momentum in the second men’s singles match as he dispatched FEU counterpart Josime Siachua in four sets, 7-11, 11-7, 11-5, 11-6.

Despite the momentum gained by the first two singles match wins, the veteran Ateneo pair of James Somontina and Andre Rondolo however, were unable to convert a win in the first men’s doubles match, falling to FEU Paddlers Albert Lara and John Rey Sombilon in three sets, 8-11, 6-11, 3-11.

Another rookie in Chua was able to make amends in the third singles match as he outplayed FEU’s Le Jay Villanueva in four sets, 11-4, 11-9, 5-11, 13-11.

Opening the second round of the tournament against a tough UE, Parman displayed his offensive firepower as he fought through four tights sets, 12-10, 11-7, 8-11, 11-7 against UE’s Jomari Ingeniero.

In the second singles match, Chua also went through the same path, but this time fell after five hard fought sets against UE veteran Sandro Cortez, 11-13, 11-5, 11-9, 2-11, 7-11.

The woes continued to pile up as the men’s doubles team of Somontina and Rondolo also fell to UE’s Serge Benoya and Ian Valdemoro in four sets. De Asis also struggled in the fourth and final match vs UE’s Justin Pacana, losing in three straight sets, 4-11, 4-11, 9-11.

Despite the loss, De Asis remained optimistic that they would be able to bounce back in their upcoming games. “Our effort and execution of the gameplay were key on how we were able to get wins but we still have a lot to improve,” he said.

“We just need to reflect on our previous games, figure out what went right and wrong so we can know in what areas would we still be able to improve our level of play and consistency.”

The results after Day 4 puts the Blue Eagles at 2-6 in the elimination round standings of the Table Tennis tournament.

Day 5 of the tournament will commence on Monday, October 1 at the UP Diliman College of Human Kinetics Gym in Quezon City.  

Team Tie and Set Scores

Blue Eagles

Ateneo-FEU: 3-1

First Men’s Singles (De Asis vs Angcos): 11-8, 10-12, 5-11, 11-5, 12-10

Second Men’s Singles (Parman vs Siachua): 7-11, 11-7, 11-5, 11-6

First Men’s Doubles (Somontina and Rondolo vs Lara and Sombilon): 8-11, 6-11, 3-11

Third Men’s Singles (Chua vs Villanueva): 11-4, 11-9, 5-11, 13-11

Ateneo-UE: 1-3

First Men’s Singles (Parman vs Ingeniero): 12-10, 11-7, 8-11, 11-7

Second Men’s Singles (Chua vs Cortez): 11-13, 11-5, 11-9, 2-11, 7-11

First Men’s Doubles (Somontina and Rondolo vs Benoya and Valdemoro): 11-8, 9-11, 8-11, 6-11

Third Men’s Singles (De Asis vs Pacana): 4-11, 4-11, 9-11