IN PEAK form, the Ateneo Women’s Badminton Team (AWBT) swept the De La Salle University (DLSU) Lady Shuttlers, 5-0, earlier today at the Rizal Memorial Badminton Hall in the City of Manila.

With their 25th straight win since Season 81, the Blue Eagles moved to a 2-0 win-loss record in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 87 Women’s Badminton tournament.

Kicking off Ateneo’s dominant day was multi-time UAAP champion Mika De Guzman, who dominated DLSU’s Ghiselle Bautista in the first singles match, 2-0. In the first set, the national team standout commanded the court with flawless timing and pinpoint drop shots, capitalizing on Bautista’s miscues to claim a swift 21-9 victory.

The second set, however, witnessed frenzied exchanges, with the Lady Shuttler clawing her way back to a brief 13-13 deadlock. However, De Guzman’s relentless aggression proved decisive, as she pulled ahead to close out the match, 21-14.

Angel Valle followed suit in the second singles bout, battling fiercely in a challenging matchup against DLSU’s Lady Tuario. Valle quickly took control in the opening set with a mix of powerful smashes and deceptive net play, claiming a comfortable 21-12 victory.

However, the next set saw a shift in momentum as the Atenean sophomore struggled with a series of faults, giving Tuario the opening she needed to mount a comeback and take the set, 21-16. Undeterred, Valle regrouped in the next set, employing precise shot-making to outlast Tuario in a tense 24-22 finish.

Looking to clinch a crucial third team-tie win, De Guzman partnered up with rookie Althea Ocampo for a doubles match against La Salle’s Viana Antonio and Mia Manguilimotan. The Atenean duo stumbled in the opening set, falling 17-21, but quickly found their rhythm in the second set with a 21-11 win. With stakes soaring high, the Blue Eagles held their nerves in the third set, capitalizing on a crucial DLSU error to secure a 21-16 victory and seal Ateneo’s second triumph of the season.

In the second doubles match, Ateneo’s seasoned duo of Feeby Ferrer and Maxene Olango triumphed over Lady Shuttlers Bautista and Jacqueline Pantoja in a gripping three-set showdown. In a closely contested first set, Ateneo’s steady rackets edged ahead at critical moments to ultimately secure a 21-18 win.

Quick to respond, the Taft-based pairing turned the tide with aggressive play to claim the second set, 17-21, setting the stage for a tense decider. Ultimately, Ferrer and Olango’s veteran resilience shone through as they navigated a series of lead changes to secure a hard-fought 21-18 win in the deciding set.

Capping off a perfect day for the AWBT, the final singles match witnessed rookie standout Ocampo display a masterclass against DLSU’s Manguilimotan. The Palarong Pambansa 2024 gold medalist dictated the pace in the first set, using a mix of precision and strategy to exploit Manguilimotan’s errors, 21-19.

After an early 2-2 deadlock in the second set, the Atenean stalwart shifted into control and surged ahead with unrelenting accuracy, finishing the match in commanding fashion, 21-9.

Looking to continue their winning run, the reigning four-time champions will face the University of Santo Tomas Female Shuttlers on October 20, at 1:00 PM in the same venue.

Team-tie Score: 

Ateneo-DLSU: 5-0

Results:

First Singles: De Guzman (Ateneo) def. Bautista (DLSU), 21-9, 21-14

Second Singles: Valle (Ateneo) def. Tuario (DLSU), 21-12, 16-21, 24-22

First Doubles: De Guzman and Ocampo (Ateneo) def. Antonio and Mangilimutan (DLSU), 17-21, 21-11, 21-16

Second Doubles: Ferrer and Olango (Ateneo) def. Bautista and Pantoja (DLSU), 21-18, 17-21, 21-18

Third Singles: Ocampo (Ateneo) def. Mangilimutan (DLSU), 21-19, 21-9

Current Standings (W-L):

1. ATENEO Blue Eagles (2-0)
2. UP Fighting Maroons (2-0)
3. NU Lady Bulldogs (1-1)
4. UST Lady Shuttlers (1-1)
5. AdU Lady Falcons (0-2)
6. DLSU Lady Shuttlers (0-2)