THE ATENEO Men’s Lawn Tennis Team (AMLTT) came up short against the University of the East (UE) Red Warriors with a 2-3 loss in the penultimate first-round bout of their University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 87 campaign. The contest was held earlier today at the Felicisimo Ampon Tennis Center in the City of Manila.
The result puts the AMLTT at a 2-3 win-loss record in the elimination round, placing them at fifth in the standings.
Atenean rookie Gab Quintana commenced today’s match against UE with a clash against UE’s Jarell Edangga. Stumbling in his collegiate debut last Sunday, Quintana’s struggles continued as he fell to Edangga’s experienced shots. Further exacerbated by a foot injury in the middle of the second set, the young Blue Eagle succumbed to an 0-6 Red Warrior sweep in both sets.
Meanwhile, Team Co-Captain JD Velez went head-to-head with UE’s Marc Nicole Suson for the second singles match of the day. Utilizing a variety of shots, Velez outshined his Red and White counterpart in the first set, 6-4. The second set saw an anti-climactic conclusion as Suson faced an early retirement, leading to a 3-0 finish for the Blue Eagle to even the team-tie score at 1-1.
Eager to take the lead in the team-tie for Ateneo, Team Captain Stef Gurria took on Red Warrior John Benedict Aguilar. The first set saw an intense back-and-forth affair early on as both tennisters continued to exchange shots, 4-4. Ultimately, Aguilar was the first to find his rhythm after reading the Atenean’s shots and responding with two consecutive games to claim the set, 6-4. Despite having a 3-0 run in the middle of the set, the Blue and White co-captain’s obstacles continued as he was unable to clinch another game, leading to a 3-6 second-set loss. This left the Blue Eagles at a 1-2 disadvantage in a team tie.
Stepping up next was the duo of JJ Llavore and Gian Camingue, who aimed to tie the ball game against UE’s Romeo Largo and Mark Dave Palanas. The Blue Eagles’ forehand prowess proved to be a problem for UE, securing an early 3-1 lead for the Katipunan-based squad. However, with Ateneo being riddled with errors, UE managed to bounce back and put the first set in a deadlock, 3-3. Eventually, the Blue Eagles failed to counter the Red Warriors’ barrage, succumbing to a 3-6 loss.
Making up for the previous set, Llavore and Camingue opened the second set strong with a 3-0 lead, capitalizing on powerful cross-court hits and precise shot selection. The Recto-based squad tried to turn the set around, however, Camingue’s overhead smashes disrupted their defense, forcing a decider, 6-3.
The Blue Eagles and Red Warriors traded blows to begin the third set, 3-3. The intense set continued until Ateneo broke away through Camingue’s smashes and UE’s errors, 9-6. The Recto-based squad tried to recuperate, but the Blue and White ultimately secured the victory, 12-10.
Aiming to finish the day on a high note, JB Cuarto and Aidyll Ignacio faced UE’s Kent Morales and Rastley John Baje in the second doubles match. The Katipunan-based duo struggled to answer UE’s aggressive offense, falling to a 0-4 run to begin the first set. The Blue and White then orchestrated a comeback attempt with a 4-1 lead of their own. However, due to unforced errors, Cuarto and Ignacio dropped the first set, 4-6.
The duo had an early 3-0 lead in the second set, but costly errors from the Blue and White allowed UE to secure a deadlock, 4-4. Unanswered strikes also haunted Ateneo, leading to a 4-6 defeat in the last set.
Following the conclusion of the last bout, Co-Captain Velez reflected on the team’s 2-3 team-tie performance.
“UE is one of the top teams in the UAAP when it comes to tennis, and we are happy that we came close in the team-tie score, but we want to bounce back against UP. It’s Katipunan versus Diliman again for tomorrow,” the sophomore skipper mentioned.
Looking to conclude the first round on a positive note, the AMLTT will take on the University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons tomorrow, March 9, at 7:30 AM in the same venue.
Team-tie Score:
Ateneo-UE: 2-3
Results:
First Singles: Edangga (UE) def. Quintana (Ateneo) – 6-0, 6-0
Second Singles: Velez (Ateneo) def. Suson (UE) – 6-4, 3-0 (ret.)
Third Singles: Aguilar (UE) def. Gurria (Ateneo) – 6-4, 6-3
First Doubles: Llavore and Camingue (Ateneo) def. Largo and Palanas (UE) – 3-6, 6-3, 12-10
Second Doubles: Morales and Baje (UE) def. Cuarto and Ignacio (Ateneo) – 6-4, 6-4
Current Standings:
- UST Male Tennisters (4-0)
- UE Red Warriors (4-1)
- NU Bulldogs (3-1)
- UP Fighting Maroons (3-2)
- Ateneo Blue Eagles (2-3)
- AdU Soaring Falcons (1-5)
- DLSU Green Tennisters (0-5)
