Ateneo Tennis resumed action in the second round of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 81 Lawn Tennis Tournament on Sunday, March 17, at the Colegio San Agustin-Bulacan Tennis Stadium in San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan.

The Blue Eagles extended their winning streak in the competition against the University of the Philippines (UP) Fighting Maroons, garnering a team-tie score of 4-1, while the Lady Eagles were outmatched by the De La Salle University (DLSU) Lady Archers, 1-4.

Blue Eagles

Doubles mainstays Julian Dayrit and Bong Gonzales collected Ateneo’s first tie of the day in the men’s first doubles match against Fighting Maroons Elijah Arevalo and Daniel Casipit. It was a dominant display for the Blue and White as they overwhelmed their UP counterparts with a straight-set victory, 6-2, 6-1.

Marcen Gonzales took to the court to play Joel Atienza in the first singles event. The team captain effortlessly outplayed his competitor in the first set, 6-3. The second set, however, proved a more challenging affair as Gonzales narrowly escaped, closing the set at 7-6(2).

All eyes were fastened on the men’s second singles match where Ateneo’s Iyo Canlas’ and Joshua Cano of UP endured a two and a half hour marathon. The match’s earlier moments saw the Blue Eagle power through the opening game with forceful groundstrokes and deep returns. Though he put on an honorable display, Canlas was no match against Cano’s stamina as he failed to hold serve, and handed UP the advantage after the first set, 6(11)-7.

The second set brought a similar tempo to the match as both players battled through another cycle of long rallies and fierce strokes, piling up whatever endurance they had left in them. Pressure began to enclose the Blue Eagle as he failed to take full control of the second set and eventually suffered a narrow service-break loss, 4-6, concluding the tedious match in a downer.

The tide started to shift back to Ateneo’s favor as Luke Flores and Erj Gatdula stood poised and determined to overpower opposition in the second doubles match against Fighting Maroons Vincent Alanis and Emmanuel Fuellas. Despite their shaky start, 2-6, the Ateneo tandem managed to answer UP’s first set win with a 6-3 second set triumph and exhibited an outstanding showing in the decider, closing the match in a three-set victory, 6-2.

Ateneo’s onslaught continued as Gab Tiamson took hold of the court in the face off against UP’s Auden Paduganan during the third singles match. The Blue Eagle took the first set at 6-4, and finished off the match with a menacing forehand stroke, 6-1, handing Ateneo the precious team-tie victory, 4-1.

The team sits at second in the standings with a 5-2 record after yesterday’s result, with the Blue Eagles returning to action on Saturday, March 23 at 8:00 AM against the DLSU Green Archers at the same venue.

Lady Eagles

Pit against the league leaders in the DLSU Lady Archers, the Lady Eagles struggled down the stretch, losing four matches in three sets to place them at third place with a 3-3 record.

In the first singles match, Nicole Amistad avenged a 2-6 first set loss by taking the second set, 6-7. The veteran lost steam in the decider, however, as DLSU’s Aikiko De Guzman took the third set, 1-6. The second singles match followed a similar tune as Janelle Llavore was outclassed in the third set, awarding Lady Archer Aubrey Calma the win, 2-6, 6-0, 2-6. Ateneo’s Shaira Rivera provided the lone bright spot, with a 6-2, 6-3 win over Angel Santiago in the third singles match.

The win proved to be a mere consolation, however, as Ateneo’s doubles pairings were unable to capitalize on their respective first set advantages. Team captain tandem Jana Hernandez and Jana Pages took a 6-3, 3-6, 2-6 loss against counterparts Jed Aquino and Arianne Nillasca while Bettina Bautista and Alexis McLean were handed the three-set defeat, 6-4, 2-6, 4-6, by DLSU’s Kiezl Diaz and Jenni Dizon.

The Lady Eagles will look strengthen their case for a finals spot on Saturday, March 23 at 11:00 AM at the same venue.

Men’s Team-tie score: Ateneo 4 UP 1

Set scores:

First Singles: M. Gonzales (Ateneo) def. Atienza 6-3, 7-6

Second Singles: Cano def. Canlas (Ateneo), 6(11)-7, 4-6

Third Singles: Tiamson (Ateneo) def. Paduganan, 6-4, 6-1

First Doubles: Dayrit and B. Gonzales (Ateneo) def. Arevalo and Casipit, 6-2, 6-1

Second Doubles: Flores and Gatdula (Ateneo) def. Alanis and Fuellas, 2-6, 6-3, 6-2

Women’s Team-tie score: Ateneo 1 DLSU 4

Set scores:

First Singles: De Guzman def. Amistad (Ateneo), 2-6, 7-6, 1-6

Second Singles: Calma def. Llavore (Ateneo), 2-6, 6-0, 2-6

Third Singles: Rivera (Ateneo) def. Santiago, 6-2, 6-3

First Doubles: Aquino and Nillasca def. Hernandez and Pages (Ateneo), 6-3, 3-6, 2-6

Second Doubles: Diaz and Dizon def. Bautista and McLean (Ateneo), 6-4, 2-6, 4-6