THE ATENEO Men’s Table Tennis team commenced their University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 82 campaign with a convincing win and a disappointing loss. The Blue Eagles found themselves on the opposite ends of the rope as they dominated the University of the Philippines (UP) Fighting Maroons, 3-0, before falling to the Adamson University (AdU) Soaring Falcons, 0-3, on Day 1 of the UAAP Season 82 Men’s Table Tennis Tournament on Saturday, October 9, at the Blue Eagle Gym, Quezon City. 

Ateneo Team Captain Mark Parman starred in the opening proceedings with a win over UP’s Riley Lim in four sets, 11-3, 11-8, 9-11, 13-11. Rookie France De Asis then made his debut in the Seniors division after previously playing for the University of the East Red Warriors back in the Juniors division. He didn’t disappoint in his first match as he was able to contribute a win over UP veteran Judah Cagas in four sets, 3-11, 11-8, 11-7, 11-4. 

The newly-formed tandem of senior James Somontina and sophomore Jamie De Asis in the doubles matchup proved to be deadly as they carved out a five-set thriller over their Fighting Maroons counterparts. The Blue Eagles built an early two-set advantage, 11-7, 13-11, but UP fought back and took the next two sets, 11-8, 11-5. The deciding set was poised to go the way of the Maroons after they opened with a huge 10-6 lead, but De Asis and Somontina played flawlessly to trim the deficit and mount a six-point comeback. The Blue Eagles finished the fifth set on top, 12-10, and eventually secured the final team-tie win over the Fighting Maroons. 

In the afternoon match against AdU, the Blue Eagles were unable to score a team-tie win over their counterparts as they lost in straight matches. Parman was once again pitted in the first match, this time against AdU’s Isaac Eneria. Errors plagued the Blue Eagle team captain as he gave up the first two sets, 7-11, 2-11. He bounced back in the third set, 11-5, but eventually dropped the fourth set at 6-11. Sophomore Carlo Chua also suffered the same fate as he was limited by his Adamson opponent Paolo Monforte in three straight sets, 8-11, 6-11, 9-11. Ateneo Head Coach Mario Brevia tried a new combination in the doubles matchup this time with rookie Deo Cuaresma and James Somontina versus Adamson’s Cj Balanquit and Vlad Rarama. However, it still wasn’t enough to notch a team-tie win as the Ateneo duo lost to the Soaring Falcons in four sets, 6-11, 13-15, 11-9, 6-11.  

The team hopes to bounce back after concluding Day 1 with a 1-1 record. The Blue Eagles will next face the De La Salle University Green Archers and the Far Eastern University Tamaraws in Day 2 of the tournament on Sunday, November 10, at the Blue Eagle Gym in Quezon City.

Set scores (Ateneo-UP): Ateneo – 3 UP – 0

First Men’s Singles (Parman vs Lim): 11-3, 11-8, 9-11, 13-11

Second Men’s Singles (V. De Asis vs Cagas): 3-11, 11-8, 11-7, 11-4

First Men’s Doubles (J. De Asis and Somontina vs Cagas and Ruelo): 11-7, 13-11, 8-11, 5-11, 12-10 

Set Scores (Ateneo-AdU): Ateneo 0 AdU 3

First Men’s Singles (Parman vs Eneria): 7-11, 2-11, 11-5, 6-11 

Second Men’s Singles (Chua vs Monforte): 8-11, 6-11, 9-11

First Men’s Doubles (Cuaresma and Somontina vs Balanquit and Rarama): 6-11, 13-15, 11-9, 6-11