THE ATENEO Men’s Lawn Tennis Team (AMLTT) suffered their second loss of University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 85 at the hands of the defending champions, the National University (NU) Tennisters, 2-3. The rematch happened yesterday, April 1, at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center in the City of Manila.

Jed Olivarez opened the day for the Blue Eagles with a confident win over Vince Tugade in the first Singles match. Continuing his strong showing this season, the Ateneo standout finished the matchup in two sets, 6-4, 6-4. This gave the Blue and White the first team-tie point of the day.

The Ateneo duo of Mik Balce and JJ Llavore were unable to distance the team-tie lead, dropping the first Doubles match against Ibarra Ortega and Gab Bandoquillo. After the Tennisters took the first set, 6-2, the Blue Eagles momentarily saved the matchup in a tight second set, 7-6. Despite Ateneo’s efforts in the previous set, NU quickly recovered, winning the match-deciding set, 6-0. The Ateneo loss leveled the team-tie score, 1-1.

AMLTT Co-Captain Gab Tiamson allowed Ateneo to recover the lead, doing quick work of NU’s Jules Lazaro in the second Singles match. The Ateneo veteran’s strategic play allowed him to take both sets, 6-0, 6-0. This put Ateneo’s team-tie score up in the middle of the day, 2-1.

Meanwhile, Stef Gurria and co-captain Chester Tiongson were unable to extend the Ateneo lead in the second Doubles match, losing to Jude Ceniza and Rucel Cero. The Tennisters held off the Blue Eagles in two straight sets, 6-2, 6-1. NU once again evened the team-tie score, 2-2.

In the game-deciding matchup, Nio Tria was unable to give Ateneo the team-tie score against Aljon Talatayod. Following the tight two-set bout, the Tennister won the matchup, 6-4, 6-4. This allowed NU to win the rematch against the Blue and White after losing to them in the first round.

This loss gives the AMLTT a record of 6-2 this season, putting them in third place in the standings, tied with the University of the East Red Warriors. The University of Santo Tomas Tigers Tennis Team currently sits in first place with a record of 7-1.

The AMLTT look to recover as they go against the De La Salle University Green Tennisters today, April 2, at 3:00 PM at the same venue.

Team-Tie Score: Ateneo-NU: 2-3

First Men’s Singles: Olivarez def. Tugade, 6-4, 6-4

First Men’s Doubles: Balce & Llavore fell to Ortega & Bandoquillo, 2-6, 7-6, 0-6

Second Men’s Singles: Tiamson def. Lazaro, 6-0, 6-0

Second Men’s Doubles: Gurria & Tiongson fell to Ceniza & Cero, 4-6, 4-6

Third Men’s Singles: Tria fell to Talatayod, 4-6, 4-6