THE ATENEO Women’s Table Tennis Team concluded the opening weekend of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 82 Women’s Table Tennis Tournament with heads held high, emerging victorious in both their bouts. The Lady Eagles overwhelmed both the National University (NU) Lady Bulldogs and the University of Santo Tomas (UST) Golden Tigresses, garnering team-tie scores of 3-1 against each team, respectively. Both matches were held on Sunday, November 10, at the Blue Eagle Gym, Quezon City.
Rookie Kaela Aguilar made easy work of NU’s Trisha Guanco, winning by a large margin in straight sets, 11-2, 11-5, 11-4. On the other hand, Ana Calvo struggled to find her rhythm in the second match and surrendered to NU’s Rushel Garcia in straight sets, 8-11, 7-11, 4-11.
The next match saw the Lady Eagle duo of Kath Bulaqueña and Nadine Uy teaming up against Lady Bulldogs Gycel Castro and Au Sanchez and immediately gaining a two-set advantage, 11-6 and 11-9. Even if the NU duo bounced back in sets three, 5-11, and four, 9-11, the Lady Eagles secured the third match with a fifth-set win at 11-5.
Ann Borbon proceeded to face NU’s Romelyn Pacquiao in the third match. The Ateneo rookie let her guard down in the second set but eventually outplayed the Lady Bulldog in four sets, 11-8, 9-11, 15-13, 11-7—thus securing their first team tie of the day at 3-1.
The afternoon match-up saw the Lady Eagles clash with the UST Golden Tigresses. Aguilar kickstarted the contest against UST’s Shaeena Ronquillo, earning the win in four sets, 11-5, 14-12, 10-12, 11-3.
Ateneo fielded Borbon in for the second match against UST’s Sherlyn Gabisay. The Lady Eagle managed to extend the match to overcome Gabisay in five sets, 11-8, 10-12, 10-12, 11-8, 11-8.
The doubles round featured a different Ateneo duo, with Lady Eagles Geque Carado and Nadine Uy challenging the UST pairing of Emery Digamon and Leigh Villanueva. The Golden Tigresses took advantage of Carado’s errors, taking the match in three sets, 4-11, 5-11, 9-11.
Calvo starred in the final match against UST’s Ciara Derecho. After failing to score a single set against NU, the Lady Eagle redeemed herself in straight sets, 11-9, 14-12, 11-9, and called game against UST with a 3-1 team-tie score.
The Lady Eagles will look to extend their win streak in their upcoming games as they face off against Far Eastern University at 8:00 AM, and the University of the Philippines at 1:00 PM, on Wednesday, November 13, at the Blue Eagle Gym, Quezon City.
Set scores: (Atene0-NU): Ateneo – 3, NU – 1
First Women’s Singles (Aguilar vs. Guanco): 11 -2, 11-5, 11-4
Second Women’s Singles (Calvo vs. Garcia): 8-11, 7-11, 4-11
First Women’s Doubles: (Bulaqueña and Uy vs. Castro and Sanchez): 11-6, 11-9, 5-11, 9-11, 11-5
Third Women’s Singles: (Borbon vs. Pacquiao): 11-8, 9-11, 15-13, 11-7
Set Scores (Ateneo-UST): Ateneo – 3, UST – 1
First Women’s Singles (Aguilar vs. Ronquillo): 11-5, 14-12, 10-12, 11-3
Second Women’s Singles (Borbon vs. Gabisay): 11-8, 10-12, 10-12, 11-8, 11-8
First Women’s Doubles (Carado and Uy vs. Digamon and Villanueva): 4-11, 5-11, 9-11
Third Women’s Singles (Calvo vs. Derecho): 11-9, 14-12, 11-9
