THE BLUE Eagles continued their campaign in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 82 Men’s Table Tennis Tournament against powerhouses De La Salle University (DLSU) and Far Eastern University (FEU) on Sunday, November 10, at the Ateneo De Manila University Blue Eagle Gym in Quezon City. The Blue Eagles fell in both team-tie matches, 0-3 and 1-3, respectively, placing their overall record at 1-3.
Coming off his stellar performance in the previous matchday, Ateneo Team Captain Mark Parman failed to overcome DLSU’s Koby Cabrido, winning only one out of four sets. First-year player France De Asis, showed much vigor out of the gate, winning a close 15-13 first-set battle against Vince Remitio of the Green Archers. However, costly errors plagued him in the next three sets, 6-11, 8-11, 6-11, surrendering the match and a 2-0 team-tie lead to DLSU.
Ateneo’s James Somontina and Jamie De Asis faced DLSU duo Daniel Ocon and Christian Crisostomo in the first doubles match of the day. Somontina and J. De Asis conceded three straight sets, 7-11, 8-11, and 7-11, sealing the team-tie in La Salle’s favor.
The Blue Eagles squared off against the FEU in the second team-tie of the day. Parman struggled against FEU’s Drazevik Angcos, eventually losing the match in four sets, 11-6, 7-11, 9-11, and 10-12. F. De Asis managed to prevail against Tamaraw Lee Jay Villanueva in five sets, 11-8, 5-11, 6-11, 11-5, 11-8, to earn the Blue and White’s only point of the matchday.
Ateneo switched line-ups in the doubles match, pairing Somontina with rookie Deo Cuaresma against FEU’s Mariel Jumuad and Ken Oblena, FEU took the match in three decisive sets, 8-11, 5-11, 5-11. Second-year player Carlo Chua was tasked to banner Ateneo in the third singles match, but he was closed out by Josime Siachua in four sets, 8-11, 11-9, 9-11, 7-11.
Despite their underwhelming performances, the Blue Eagles have a chance to redeem themselves in the next set of matches against the National University Bulldogs at 8:00 AM and defending champions University of Santo Tomas Growling Tigers at 1:00 PM on Wednesday, October 13, at the Blue Eagle Gym, Quezon City.
Set scores (Ateneo-DLSU): Ateneo – 0 DLSU – 3
First Men’s Singles (Parman vs Cabrido): 11-13, 11-5, 9-11, 5-11
Second Men’s Singles (F. De Asis vs Remitio): 15-13, 6-11, 8-11, 6-11
First Men’s Doubles (J. De Asis and Somontina vs Crisostomo and Ocon): 7-11, 8-11, 7-11
Set Scores (Ateneo-FEU): Ateneo – 1 FEU – 3
First Men’s Singles (Parman vs Angcos): 11-6, 7-11, 9-11, 10-12
Second Men’s Singles (V. De Asis vs Villanueva): 11-8, 5-11, 6-11, 11-5, 11-8
First Men’s Doubles (Cuaresma and Somontina vs Jumuad and Oblena): 8-11, 5-11, 5-11
Third Men’s Singles (Chua vs Siachua): 8-11, 11-9, 9-11, 7-11
