THE ATENEO Blue Eagles remain winless in their University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 87 campaign after yielding to the University of the Philippines (UP) Fighting Maroons, 1-4. The match took place earlier today at the Felicisimo Ampon Tennis Center in the City of Manila.
Commencing today’s matches, Ateneo’s Audrey Ruiz squared off against UP’s Glydel Guevarra. The Blue Eagle kicked off her first singles match by going up 1-0 in the first set. However, Ruiz began to falter as she conceded points due to multiple errors, ultimately ceding the frame, 1-6. Despite attempting to mount a comeback, Ruiz was abruptly halted by Guevarra’s well-placed backhands at the second set, 2-6, losing in straight sets and giving UP the first team-tie point.
On the adjacent court, Ateneo’s Chelsea Roque tried her luck against Fighting Maroon Jufe Cocoy. Her sluggish start proved to be a liability in the first set, with her slow footwork and reaction time giving Cocoy the first set, 0-6. Looking to even up the score, Roque deployed her close-range game but was ultimately not enough as she conceded the second match to her adversary, 0-6.
Eager to secure a much-needed win, Blue Eagle Althea Martirez stepped up against UP’s Anica Cari for the third singles match of the day. Martirez started out guns blazing as she gained an early 2-0 lead, showing amazing precision with her shots. Unfortunately, Cari remained undeterred as the Fighting Maroon forged a 4-1 comeback, pouncing on the Blue Eagle’s mistakes, 4-3.
Looking to close off the first set, Martirez locked in as she played long volleys and a defensive playstyle to give her the first set, 6-4. With momentum on her side, the Atenean continued her stellar play, making quick work of her adversary with well-placed shots and volleys to close out the second frame with a 6-0 shutout.
The duo of Zainna Omar and Angela Buyantethen faced off against Cheska Malaki and Debbie Prak of the Fighting Maroons in the first doubles match of the day. The Blue Eagle pairing fell behind to a quick 0-2 deficit due to unforced errors. Omar and Buyante then answered back with a two-point run of their own, 2-2.
From there, however, the Diliman-based squad did not look back, securing the first set, 2-6. Despite the Katipunan-based duo’s efforts to rally back in the second set, unforced errors and unanswered shots stunted any chance at victory, leading to a 0-6 love set defeat.
Eager to end the day on a high, Blue Eagles Raizel Coco and Adrianna Cabahug clashed with UP’s Jesha Cervantes and Joseha Malazarte. The Blue and White duo struggled to find their footing, failing to score in the first set, 0-6. With their backs against the wall, Coco and Cabahug showed grit and promise, but the Fighting Maroons’ combination of volleys and slice shots were too much for the Blue Eagles to handle, 1-6.
The Blue Eagles will aim to capture their first victory of the season as they face the second-seeded National University Lady Bulldogs, tomorrow, at 7:00 AM in the same venue.
Box scores:
Team-tie score:
Ateneo-UP: 1-4
Results:
First Singles: Guevarra (UP) def. Ruiz (Ateneo), 6-1, 6-2
First Doubles: Malaki and Prak (UP) def. Omar and Buyante (Ateneo), 6-2, 6-0
Second Singles: Cocoy (UP) def. Roque (Ateneo), 6-0, 6-0
Third Singles: Martirez (Ateneo) def. Cari (UP), 6-4, 6-0
Second Doubles: Cervantes and Malazarte (UP) def. Coco and Cabahug (Ateneo), 6-0, 6-1
Standings (W-L):
- UST Lady Tennisters (6-1)
- NU Lady Bulldogs (5-1)
- UP Fighting Maroons (5-3)
- DLSU Lady Tennisters (1-5)
- ATENEO Blue Eagles (0-7)
