CONTINUING AN unbeaten run, the Ateneo Men’s Badminton Team notched another win on the second day of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 85 Men’s Badminton Tournament.
The Blue Eagles triumphed with a 4-1 team-tie score against the De La Salle University (DLSU) Green Archers at the Centro Atletico Badminton Hall, Quezon City, earlier today to stay unblemished at 2-0.
The first men’s singles match saw co-captain Arthur Salvado Jr. square off against DLSU’s James Estrada. Salvado found himself in a back-and-forth battle with Estrada that saw many lead changes throughout the match. Salvado would manage to take the first set at 21-17, and would later on score thirteen straight points en route to a dominant 21-7 second set win.
Salvado’s co-captain Bryan Bernardo entered the court to face DLSU’s Jason Pajarillo in the second men’s singles match. A string of scoring runs and powerful smashes would earn Bernardo a 21-10 victory in the first set. The second set saw DLSU launch an early 3-0 lead, but Bernardo quickly recovered to take a 6-4 advantage for Ateneo. A back-and-forth contest followed between the two teams, but the Blue Eagles pulled away in the latter part of the set for the victory, 21-15.
With the Blue and White up 2-0 in the overall team-tie score, Salvado returned to team up with rookie Lyrden Laborte in the first’s men’s doubles match against DLSU’s Pete Abellana and Bless Linaban. The Katipunan-based duo made quick work of their opponents, winning the first set at 21-10. In the following set, Salvado and Laborte would jump to an early six-point advantage, 7-1, en route to a 21-15 victory and the overall win for Ateneo.
In the second men’s doubles match, Ateneo’s Bernardo partnered with fellow veteran Jacinto Maliwat to face DLSU’s Joshua Morada and Eljee Gavile. The Green Archers would jump to an early lead, 6-3, but Bernardo and Maliwat quickly recovered to tie the match at 9-9. After several scoring runs by their Taft-based counterparts, the Blue Eagles surrendered the first set at 15-21. Despite controlling the match all throughout, Bernardo and Maliwat found themselves in a heated second set battle, with the game tied at 20-20. The DLSU tandem would eventually escape the second set at 22-20.
For the day’s final match, Laborte returned to the court to take on Green Archer Bless Linaban in the third men’s singles match. The Blue Eagle scored eight straight points to take a 15-4 lead, but Linaban responded with a comeback bid to trim the lead to single-digits, 17-8 for Ateneo. Laborte would fend off Linaban’s efforts to secure the first set, 21-10. The second set saw another comeback attempt from DLSU, but Laborte wasted no time and maintained his aggressive attacks, sealing the win for the Blue and White at 21-10.
Co-captain Salvado lauded his team for their performances over the weekend and looks to build on their momentum as they set their sights on their upcoming matchups against Adamson University (AdU).
“Hopefully in the coming matches, we will not just sustain but improve in our games in preparation for the bigger and stronger teams,” he shared.
The Blue Eagles will look to continue their winning ways in their next matchup against the AdU Soaring Falcons on Saturday, November 5, 8:00 AM at Centro Atletico Badminton Hall in Quezon City.
Team-Tie score: Ateneo-DLSU: 4-1
First Men’s Singles: Salvado def. Estrada: 21-17, 21-7
Second Men’s Singles: Bernardo def. Pajarillo: 21-10, 21-15
First Men’s Doubles: Salvado and Laborte def. Abellana and Linaban: 21-10, 21-15
Second Men’s Doubles: Morada and Gavile def. Bernardo and Maliwat: 15-21, 20-22
Third Men’s Singles: Laborte def. Linaban: 21-10, 21-10
