ATENEO TAEKWONDO racked up mixed results in day 3 of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 81 Taekwondo Championships on Thursday, November 8 at the Blue Eagle Gym in Quezon City.

The women’s team won two straight games, opening their win tally against the Far Eastern University (FEU) Lady Tamaraws and adding to it in the team-tie against the Lady Warriors from the University of the East (UE). The men’s team, however, suffered a heartbreaking loss in their lone game of the day against the University of the Philippines (UP) Fighting Maroons.

The Lady Eagles

It was all smiles for the women’s team as they swept the FEU Lady Tamaraws, 7-0, to start their third day of the tournament. Opening the team’s sweep was Alexa Rabino who came from behind to grab a 16-15 win versus Lady Tamaraw Brianne Ducay. Julienne Bermejo followed up with a commanding 12-7 win against Ma. Jona Buñe.

FEU then forfeited the next match, which was supposed to be against Winslet Rosel. Asian Games medalist Pauline Lopez was next on the mats as she unleashed a 20-0 onslaught on FEU’s Roweida Kamad. Lopez was quick on the draw and landed several strikes to the torso with ease.

Another forfeit from FEU in the match against Jennevive de Asis notched another win for Ateneo before Season 80 Rookie of the Year Dan Morales took the bout against Lady Tamaraw Lovely Balmes. Tied with the score at 20-20, Morales clinched the triumph for Ateneo as she landed a strike to Balmes’ head to propel her to a 23-20 win. The game was then capped off by another forfeit from FEU against Arianne Agojo.

The Lady Tamaraws withdrew from three matches due to a lack of players, allowing Ateneo to play two straight games without fatigue. The next battle was against the lady jins from UE wherein the team clinched a 4-3 victory.

Rabino started again for Ateneo but could not counter Alejandra Dela Cruz’ efforts as she fell, 9-11. Bermejo also did not meet her mark as she finished her first round at 5-14 but could not follow through as she was dispatched, 16-17. Rosel was the third Lady Eagle to fall as UE’s Bessie Tamayo cleared her 3-21 with ease.

Once again, it was Lopez who provided the spark for her team as she devastated UE’s Kristel Tagsip 21-11 in the first round before going on a 10-0 offensive to decidedly take the match at 31-11.

UE also withdrew the next two matches due to lack of players, giving de Asis and Morales the wins for the day. With Ateneo and UE tied at 3-3, it was up to Arianne Agojo to fight in the deciding seventh match. The veteran was downed in the first round at 4-8 but she came back from behind to seal the close victory for the Lady Eagles, 12-11, against Carla Sueño.

“Talagang bumawi sila today, medyo tulog pa sila yesterday but I’m sure na tomorrow tuloy-tuloy na yan,” said Coach Elmer Rafael about the ladies’ victories.

(They totally recovered today. They were asleep yesterday but I’m sure they’ll go for straight wins tomorrow.)

The Blue Eagles

The blue jins were unable to close out the Battle of Katipunan as they fell to a tight 3-4 loss in their sole match of the day.

Elijah Buencamino was defeated 8-19 by Raymundo Alombro while super rookie Harley Santos came through with a convincing 27-12 win against Josiah Cabañag to keep the team-tie even at 1-1. Aaron Agojo was a bright spot for the team as the veteran cleared UP’s Jose Fuentes 22-2 for the easy victory.

Paul Cham held on to his lead and gave the blue jins a 2-1 match advantage over UP through his emphatic 27-12 win. However, Noy Garcia and Rafael Cosca struggled to keep up with Ateneo’s Katipunan neighbors as they bowed out of their matches, 3-23 and 4-28, respectively, to the gain of UP’s Karlos Gaerlan and Joko Silverio.

After six matches, the two teams met at a deadlock for a final and deciding seventh match. Aspiring to break the tie, Thirdy Garcia was able to keep pace with his opponent going into the break at 6-9. Thirdy Garcia ultimately could not come back from Fighting Maroon Christian Mapalo’s well-placed attacks as the Blue Eagle fell 14-25.

With the men’s and women’s teams respective 1-3 and 2-2 win-loss records, both teams will look to brighten their campaign in the fourth fixture on Friday, November 9 at the same venue.