SLOWLY RENEWING their confidence, the Ateneo Table Tennis Teams exited the fourth day of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Table Tennis tournament with three wins and one loss. This set of games took place earlier today at the Ayala Malls Manila Bay in Pasay City.
In the Men’s Division, the Blue Eagles contained the University of the Philippines (UP) Fighting Maroons and the Adamson University (AdU) Soaring Falcons in convincing fashion, improving their overall record to 5-3.
At the Women’s Division, meanwhile, the Katipunan-based squad dominated the AdU Lady Falcons. However, they ultimately bowed to the first-seeded University of Santo Tomas (UST) Lady Paddlers, establishing their total record at 3-5.
These results strengthened both teams’ Final Four bids with the Men’s and Women’s teams currently sitting at third and fourth in the standings, respectively.
Men’s Table Tennis
8:00 AM match vs. UP
The morning event kicked off with a four-set thriller by Team Captain Andrew Uy, with scores of 12-10, 12-10, 7-11, and 11-8. Despite a small slip up in the third frame, the Blue Eagle rebounded with renewed vigor in the final set to secure Ateneo’s first team-tie point.
Feeding off the winning momentum, Kong Cabrido bested UP’s Gabriel Nieva in an identical four-set matchup. Despite his opponent’s aggressive smashes toward the middle of the bout, Cabrido’s pinpoint accuracy saw the better of Nieva, finishing the job at 11-6, 9-11, 16-14, 11-8.
Finally, the Atenean pair in France De Asis and Drozle Fresco was an indomitable force against their opponents, as they capped off the event with a four-set win, 9-11, 14-12, 11-7, 13-11. The dyad completed the team’s 3-0 sweep, looting another ladder point at the expense of the Fighting Maroons.
2:00 PM match vs. AdU
Team Captain Uy continued to shine in the match opener against Adamson, making quick work of his opponent, 11-9, 11-9, and 11-4. Shortly after, Cabrido struggled to sustain his command of the table, falling 8-11, 11-9, 7-11, 12-14 in a four-set storm.
Returning to the court, De Asis and Fresco clawed through their San Marcelino-based rivals in three sets, 11-9, 11-6, 11-7, to end the match in a complete turnaround from yesterday’s setback.
In the last individual match, Wrency Abad shut down AdU’s Amiel Sumadsad in a hard-fought battle that saw Ateneo bear the brighter blue over the table, 11-8, 11-5, 9-11, 11-7.
Women’s Table Tennis
8:00 AM match vs AdU
Coming off a 1-3 loss from their previous bout against the Lady Falcons, the Women’s Team came into today’s match with renewed ardor.
Kaela Aguilar opened today’s festivities in a resounding fashion afterdominating AdU’s Trisha Ramoneda in the three short-lived sets, 11-5, 11-4, and 11-3.
Replicating her teammate’s success was reigning Rookie of the Year Jelaine Monteclaro, who took down Alyssa Toleco in four tight-knit sets. After giving up the close opening set, the second year sensation made sure to secure the win by taking the next three sets,9-11, 11-4, 11-9, and 11-9.
Looking to put the nail in the coffin of their Ermita-based adversaries, Co-Captains Kath Bulaqueña and Celeen Docto cruised past Mary Jane De Guzman and Angel Panao in another lopsided contest, 11-5, 10-12, 11-5, 11-2, to secure the Blue Eagles their third win of the season.
2:00 PM match vs UST
Despite Aguilar’s best efforts to set a positive tone for the Blue Eagles against the undefeated Lady Paddlers, the veteran found herself overpowered by UST’s Althea Gudes in three quick sets, 3-11, 9-11, 5-11.
Monteclaro also failed to navigate the prowess of her opponent, Kaye Encarnacion, as the Blue Eagle ultimately bowed in four sets, 3-11, 6-11, 11-7, 5-11.
In a mirror image of their teammates’ outings, Bulaqueña and Docto fell to Kathlyn Gabisay and Leigh Villanueva in another four-setter, 6-11, 11-6, 6-11, 3-11.
With hopes to further improve their standings, both squads will continue their Season 87 campaigns tomorrow, starting at 8:00 AM in the same venue.
Men’s Standings (W-L):
- UST Tiger Paddlers (8-0)
- AdU Soaring Falcons (5-3)
- ATENEO Blue Eagles (5-3)
- DLSU Green Paddlers (5-3)
- UP Fighting Maroons (3-5)
- FEU Tamaraws (2-6)
- UE Red Warriors (0-8)
Women’s Standings (W-L):
- UST Lady Paddlers (8-0)
- FEU Lady Tamaraws (7-1)
- DLSU Lady Paddlers (4-2)
- ATENEO Blue Eagles (3-5)
- AdU Lady Falcons (2-6)
- UE Red Warriors (1-6)
- UP Fighting Maroons (1-6)
