COMMENCING THEIR University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 87 crusade, the Ateneo Men’s Lawn Tennis Team (AMLTT) took their first step with a win against the Adamson University (AdU) Soaring Falcons, 3-2. The team’s opening assignment took place earlier today at the Felicisimo Ampon Tennis Center in the City of Manila.

Hungry for momentum, veteran John David Velez made quick work of his opponent by powering through AdU’s John Kyle Roble in the first singles match. The Blue Eagle showcased his mastery of the tennis court, breezing through the first set, 6-3. Kicking it up a notch, Velez then swept the Falcon in the second set, 6-0, giving Ateneo its first team-tie score.  

Building on this strong start, Team Captain Gabriel Stefano Gurria graced the second singles match against Soaring Falcon Ramon Wilfred Bentillo in a lengthy slugfest. Gurria came out swinging in the opening frame, employing a variety of shots to keep Bentillo on his toes. Coupled with impressive service aces, the Blue and White captain took three consecutive points to take the first set, 6-3. 

Shifting the momentum in the second set, Bentillo regained his composure in response to Gurria’s diverse shots, leading to the Falcon’s control of the set, 6-2. With the match tied at one set apiece, the third set saw increased intensity on both sides as both players fired powerful shots from the backline. However, the Atenean skipper’s powerful forehand halted any chances for an Adamson win as Gurria claimed the third set, 6-4, securing a 2-0 team-tie advantage for Ateneo.

Tides turned in the first doubles match as new additions Rada Mendoza and JB Cuarto struggled against the San Marcelino-based pairing of Nikko Lumahang and Kurt Tristan Correos. The Soaring Falcons quickly dismantled the Katipunan-based squad in both sets, 6-1 and 6-2, leading to AdU’s first-team tie point, 1-2.  

The third singles match saw an intense battle between Atenean co-captain Jonelle Christian Llavore and AdU’s Candelasa Miecoz. Pulling no punches, the players exchanged games with the first set concluding with a tiebreak in favor of the Blue Eagle, 7 (7) – 6 (2). 

A flurry of exchanged points resulted in a 5-5 deadlock in the second set. With the match on the line, the Falcon responded by cranking up the pressure for two straight points to clinch the second set, 7-5. 

Llavore initially outclassed his opponent early in the third set as the score reached 5-1. However, amid the fatigue and pressure, the co-captain missed crucial shots to close the game as Miecoz scored three straight points, 4-5. Not wanting to allow an Adamson comeback, Llavore won the tenth game in the third set with a forehand shot down the line, 6-4, claiming the third team-tie point for Ateneo, 3-1.

With the win virtually secured, all that was left was the dynamic duo of Aidyll Ignacio and Gian Camingue, who battled Adamson’s Emmanuel Pedrosa and Angelo Rosales. The Blue Eagle pairing ran into difficulties to open the bout, missing service shots and overshooting across the court. Despite AdU taking the first set, Ignacio and Camingue managed to bounce back with a second-set win, 6-2. However, the Atenean pair succumbed in the tiebreak game, 8-10, giving the Soaring Falcons their second team-tie point of the day.  

Following the team’s first win of the season, co-captain John David Velez mentioned how the team is gearing up for their games against NU and DLSU, stating, “We’re gonna train more. We are more focused sa (on) school right now [so] we’re trying to cope and catch up sa (with) training.”

Leveraging this win, the Blue Eagles will look to score another victory as they face the National University Bulldogs at 7:30 AM on Wednesday, February 26, at the same venue.

Team-tie Score:

Ateneo-UP: 3-2

Results: 

First Singles: Velez (Ateneo) def. Robles (AdU) – 6-3, 6-0

Second Singles: Gurria (Ateneo) def. Bentillo (AdU) – 6-3, 2-6, 6-4

First Doubles: Lumahang and Correos (AdU) def. Cuarto/Mendoza (Ateneo) – 6-1, 6-2

Second Doubles: Pedrosa and Rosales (AdU) def. Ignacio/Camingue (Ateneo) – 6-2, 2-6, 10-8 

Third Singles: Llavore (Ateneo) def. Candelasa (AdU) – 7 (7) – 6 (2),  5-7, 6-4