THE ATENEO Lady Eagles showcased their resilience and pulled out a 3-2 victory against the formidable National University (NU) Lady Bulldogs squad. They maintained a perfect 5-0 record after the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 82 Women’s Badminton Tournament match on Saturday, September 28, at the Camp Crame Gymnasium in Quezon City.

The Lady Eagles struggled through a rough start as Chanelle Lunod was outlasted by NU’s Sarah Barredo in the first matchup, 2-0. Lunod failed to find her footing in the first set as she fell victim to a 21-9 romping. The Lady Eagle tried to extend the match with the second set tied at 20-all, but she tallied two consecutive errors, ending the set 22-20 in favor of Barredo and handing NU the 1-nil team-tie lead. 

Rookie Mika De Guzman pulled Ateneo level after dominating NU’s Jiselle Capillo, 2-0. De Guzman’s tricky placings paved the way for a 21-13 win in the first set. She never looked back and eased her way through a quick 21-11 second set. 

Team Captains Chanelle Lunod and Joella De Vera continued Ateneo’s stride in the First Doubles match, breezing their way to a 21-14 first set against NU duo Gwen Desacola and Kate Amigable. Despite trailing 16-18 in the second set, the Atenean duo found their rhythm and ended the set with a 5-0 run to clinch a 21-18 second set and their second team-tie point.

The Lady Bulldogs retaliated, leveling the team-tie after Capillo and Barredo conquered Ateneo’s De Guzman and Qian Xi Orillaneda, 2-0. De Guzman and Orillaneda failed to find their groove in the first set, as an error-plagued performance handed NU the 21-12 first set win. Ateneo’s woes continued with the Lady Bulldogs holding on to a commanding 14-7 lead midway through the second set. The Lady Eagles trimmed the deficit at 20-17 with a late 4-0 run, but Capillo ended the match with a sharp smash, 21-17. 

With the team-tie deadlocked 2-2, it was up to Co-captain De Vera to seal the deal for Ateneo. De Vera outlasted NU’s Jeya Pinlac after easing her way to a commanding 21-11 first set win. Pinlac kept the second set close at a 14-15 deficit, but De Vera asserted her prowess and ended the match on a 6-1 run, 21-15, giving the Lady Eagles the hard-earned team-tie win. 

Ateneo Lady Eagles look to finish the elimination round with an undefeated record as they battle the University of Santo Tomas (UST) Lady Tigresses at 1:00 PM on Sunday, September 29, at the Camp Crame Gymnasium in Quezon City. 

Team-tie Score: Ateneo 3 NU 2

Match Scores:

First Singles: Sarah Barredo (NU) defeated Chanelle Lunod (Ateneo) 2-0: 21-9, 22-20

Second Singles: Mika De Guzman (Ateneo) defeated Jiselle Capillo (NU) 2-0: 21-13, 21-11.

First Doubles: Chanelle Lunod and Joella De Vera (Ateneo) defeated Kate Amigable and Gwen Desacola (NU) 2-0: 21-14 21-18

Second Doubles: Jiselle Capillo and Sarah Barredo (NU) defeated Mika De Guzman and Qian Xi Orillaneda (Ateneo) 2-0: 21-12, 21-17 

Third Singles: Joella De Vera (Ateneo) defeated Jeya Pinlac (NU) 2-0: 21-11, 21-15