THE ATENEO Women’s Table Tennis Team saw both ends of the rope, tallying both a win and a loss on the final matchday of the elimination round. The Lady Eagles prevailed over the National University (NU) Lady Bulldogs, 3-0, but surrendered their next matchup against the University of Santo Tomas (UST) Golden Tigresses, 1-3, on Monday, November 18, at the Blue Eagle Gym in Quezon City.
Lady Eagle Kaela Aguilar took on first match duties and faced off against NU’s Trisha Guanco, defeating the Lady Bulldog in four sets, 11-3, 6-11, 11-2, 11-9. Ann Borbon went up next to challenge NU’s Rushel Garcia. After a lengthy second set, the Lady Eagle scored 11-8 in the third set to close out the match.
In the Doubles match, Lady Eagles Hellari Calvo and Geque Carado fought off the NU pairing of Gycel Castro and AJ Sanchez. After Ateneo managed a two set advantage, the Lady Bulldogs snatched away the third set. However, the determined Lady Eagle duo took a commanding 11-3 win in the fourth set, eventually securing the first team tie victory of the day.
Facing UST in the afternoon match was a difficult task for the Blue and White squad. The Golden Tigresses, who fell to the Lady Eagles in their previous meeting, put forth a different lineup than their first-round duel.
Aguilar, who has hardly had any difficulty this season, squared off against UST’s Alburo and was taken to a fifth set. Despite this, the Lady Eagle kept her composure and eventually emerged victorious in the deciding set.
Borbon followed in the next match but was dealt her first straight-set loss of the season against UST’s Ciara Derecho. The Lady Eagle duo of H. Calvo and Carado suffered the same fate, succumbing to the UST pair of Emery Digamon and Leigh Villanueva in four sets, 8-11, 7-11, 11-8, 9-11.
With the match on the line, Ana Calvo sought redemption for her team. Despite Ateneo claiming the first set, UST’s Sherlyn Gabisay sealed the deal for the Lady Eagles as she brought home the next three sets for the Golden Tigresses.
Once the second elimination round ended, the Lady Eagles dueled the De La Salle University (DLSU) Lady Archers in a positioning match for their place in the semifinals. The Lady Eagles came out on top with a 3-0 team tie score, securing the second overall rank and the twice-to-beat advantage in the process.
The Lady Eagles will face off against the Lady Archers in the semifinal round of the UAAP Season 82 Women’s Table Tennis Tournament on Tuesday, November 19, 9:00 AM, at the Blue Eagle Gym in Quezon City.
Set Scores (Ateneo-NU): Ateneo 3 NU 0
First Women’s Singles (Aguilar vs. Guanco): 11-3, 6-11, 11-2, 11-9
Second Women’s Singles (Borbon vs. Garcia): 11-9, 16-14, 11-8
First Women’s Doubles (H. Calvo and Carado vs. Castro and Sanchez): 11-7, 11-7, 12-14, 11-3
Set Scores (Ateneo-UST): Ateneo 1 UST 3
First Women’s Singles (Aguilar vs. Alburo): 11-13, 11-8, 6-11, 11-8, 11-6
Second Women’s Singles (Borbon vs. Derecho): 7-11, 6-11, 6-11
First Women’s Doubles (H. Calvo and Carado vs. Digamon and Villanueva): 8-11, 7-11, 11-8, 9-11
