THE ATENEO Blue Eagles fell short of containing the University of Santo Tomas (UST) Lady Tennisters, 1-4, in their second-round stint in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 85 Lawn Tennis Tournament. After previously defeating the España-based squad in the first round, the Ateneo Women’s Lawn Tennis Team (AWLTT) faced them again yesterday, March 26, at 1:00 PM, at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center in the City of Manila. 

Althea Ong kicked off the AWLTT’s round two opener with a first Singles matchup against Lady Tennister Alex Santos. While the Singles event mainstay came close to clinching the first set, Ong succumbed to Santos, 5-7. Despite commendable attempts at forcing a deciding third set, the Blue Eagle eventually dropped the second set, 3-6, giving UST its first team-tie point, 1-0. 

Team Captain Beatrice De Ocampo then teamed up with rookie Nina Sandejas to avenge the Blue and White in the first Doubles clash However, UST’s Princess Dela Rita and Princess Gom-os cleared the Atenean duo in two sets, 6-0, 6-1. 

Heading into the second Singles matchup, the Blue Eagles still struggled to find their footing, with Lady Tennister Patricia Lim achieving a sweep against Ateneo’s Gabby Sandejas, 6-0, 6-1. 

In the hopes of recovering the Blue Eagles’ lost momentum, the second Doubles match pitted Ateneo’s Melanie Dizon and Mariam Garsin against UST’s Nicole Bautista and Abby Singcol. Established for their powerful strokes down the line, the Dizon-Garsin duo proved to be formidable opponents to the España-based squad after completing a sweep with their counterparts in the previous UST-Ateneo bout, 6-0, 6-2. Similarly, as the Ateneo duo painted the match with their impressive cross-court shots and follow-throughs, the duo clinched the Blue and White’s first win of the day with another straight victory, 6-0, 6-1. 

The final match of the day saw Ateneo’s Tracy Llamas suit up against UST’s Miles Vitaliano. Despite Llamas’ valiant efforts to subdue her opponent, the match came to an end with Vitaliano emerging on top in straight sets, 6-4, 6-4. 

The Blue and White now hold a 2-3 win-loss record, bringing them down to fourth place. Ateneo will look to improve their standing on Saturday, April 1, at 1:00 PM as they go head to head with the De La Salle University Lady Tennisters at the same venue. 

Women’s Team-Tie Score: Ateneo-UST: 1-4

First Women’s Singles: Ong fell to Santos, 5-7, 3-6

First Women’s Doubles: De Ocampo & N. Sandejas fell to Dela Rita & Gom-os, 0-6, 1-6

Second Women’s Singles: G. Sandejas fell to Lim, 0-6, 1-6

Second Women’s Doubles: Dizon & Garsin def. Bautista & Singcol, 6-0, 6-1Third Women’s Singles: Llamas fell to Vitaliano, 4-6, 4-6