Sports

Lady Eagles stay unbeaten, nab Final Four berth after toppling UP

By Ra Solomon

Published September 24, 2019 at 10:00 pm

Photo by Izza Zamoranos

STAYING TRUE to their triumphant form, the Ateneo Lady Eagles secured the first Final Four berth and extended their unblemished record to 4-0 after handing the University of the Philippines (UP) Lady Fighting Maroons their first loss of the season, 4-1, in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 82 Women’s Badminton Tournament on Tuesday, September 24, at the Centro Atletico Badminton Hall in Quezon City.

Team Captain Chanelle Lunod set the tone for the Lady Eagles in the first singles match. She was tested in the first set against UP’s Jaja Andres, but came away with a 21-15 win. The veteran found her footing in the second set, 21-10, and earned Ateneo’s first points of the day.

In the second singles match, rookie sensation Mika De Guzman suffered a heartbreaking 1-2 defeat at the hands of UP’s Aldreen Concepcion in a 78-minute thriller. The Lady Maroon gritted out a 26-24 outing in the first set before De Guzman bounced back, 21-18, to force a deciding set. However, De Guzman fell 24-26 over a hard-fought seesaw, deadlocking the team-tie at one-all and suffering the Lady Eagles’ first defeat of the season.

[Second Singles]

After dropping the next point, De Guzman deadlocks the game, 21-all with a sharp smash!#UAAPBadminton pic.twitter.com/gEvANabGDl
— Ra Solomon (@Ra_TheGUIDON) September 24, 2019

[Second Singles]

De Guzman's drop shot ties the game once more, 24-24. #UAAPBadminton pic.twitter.com/OrqtBACs19
— Ra Solomon (@Ra_TheGUIDON) September 24, 2019

Lunod and Co-captain Joella De Vera quickly righted the ship in the first doubles match of the day, demolishing their UP counterparts Marie Lopez and Pauline Santos, 21-10 and 21-3. The Lady Eagles thrashed their way through the match with aggressive offensive play highlighted by an 11-0 advantage in the second set to give Ateneo their second team-tie of the day.

[First Doubles]

Error-plagued start from UP hands Ateneo a 7-0 start in the second set! #UAAPBadminton pic.twitter.com/5uTep46nIr
— Ra Solomon (@Ra_TheGUIDON) September 24, 2019

In the second doubles match, De Guzman suited up with Qian Xi Orillaneda for another shutout against Lady Maroons Andres and Tricia Opon. De Guzman and Orillaneda put their chemistry on full display in a 21-13 first set and a 21-9 outing in the second set, handing the Lady Eagles their third team-tie.

[Second Doubles]

Shrugging off a slow start, the Lady Eagles tally a 7-2 run to erase UP's early 4-0 lead. De Guzman and Orillaneda lead 7-6 in the first set. #UAAPBadminton pic.twitter.com/9yU4dB9R7e
— Ra Solomon (@Ra_TheGUIDON) September 24, 2019

De Vera kept her composure in the third singles match and clenched Ateneo’s fourth team-tie against UP’s Airish Macalinao. De Vera capitalized on an error-plagued performance by Macalino, tallying a pair of 21-18 wins.

[Third Singles]

De Vera's drop shot forces an error from Macalino, giving her the 13-9 lead. #UAAPBadminton pic.twitter.com/EE7NqaCUce
— Ra Solomon (@Ra_TheGUIDON) September 24, 2019

Still undefeated in team-ties, the Lady Eagles will test their unblemished record against the National University (NU) Lady Bulldogs at 1:00 PM on Saturday, September 28, at the Camp Crame Gymnasium in Quezon City.

Team-tie Score: Ateneo 4 UP 1

Set Scores:

First Singles: Chanelle Lunod (Ateneo) defeated Jaja Andres (UP) 2-0: 21-15, 21-10

Second Singles: Aldreen Concepcion (UP) defeated Mika De Guzman (Ateneo) 2-1: 24-26, 18-21, 24-26.

First Doubles: Chanelle Lunod and Joella De Vera (Ateneo) defeated Marie Lopez and Pauline Santos (UP) 2-0: 21-10 21-3

Second Doubles: Mika De Guzman and Qian Xi Orillaneda (Ateneo) defeated Jaja Andres and Tricia Opon (UP) 2-0: 21-13, 21-9 Third Singles: Joella De Vera (Ateneo) defeated Airish Macalino (UP) 2-0: 21-18, 21-18