THE ATENEO Men’s Badminton Team conquered the defending champion National University (NU) Bulldogs, 4-1, in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 88 Men’s Badminton Tournament. The UAAP Season 87 Finals rematch took place earlier today, October 18, at the Rizal Memorial Badminton Hall in the City of Manila.
This win puts the Blue Eagles at the top of the standings as the sole first, ending the elimination round with a flawless record.
The game day started with a singles match between JR Pandi repping the Blue and White, and Lanz Zafra representing the Blue and Gold. Pandi opened the first set with an 11-5 advantage with a mix of strong play and miscues coming from his opponent, Zafra. The Blue Eagle then continued to up the intensity, following his solid opening with a 7-0 run to push the lead even further for the first set win, 21-8.
A better start from Zafra put Pandi at an early 2-5 hole at the beginning of the second set. The Atenean rookie was unfazed, however, going on a 4-1 run to knot things up at six points apiece. Post-deadlock, he continued the run, going on a 5-0 surge to take an 11-6 advantage midway through the frame. A back-and-forth affair occurred to close out the second set, with both men going full throttle on the offense. Though Zafra scored more in the second half of set two, Pandi prevailed, generating a 21-17 finish.
The second singles match saw Blue Eagle Team Captain Lydren Laborte taking on Bulldog Marcjoel Perez. The skipper wasted no time in stamping his dominance as Laborte immediately created an 11-4 lead for Loyola Heights. The Atenean Captain remained steady but aggressive, taking advantage of every opportunity to score while shutting down any run for Perez and the Bulldog’s camp. In the end, a 10-1 run sealed the 21-5 first-set win for Laborte.
Another hot start in the second canto gave Labortean an edge at the midway point, 11-5. The same sequences continued for the rest of the set, as Laborte dominated the match with his powerful shots, forcing errors on the side of Perez. Ultimately, the set converted into another stellar team win for Ateneo, 21-12.
The first doubles match of the day featured Co-Captain Lance Vargas and Pandi teaming up for Ateneo, while John Gam and James Villarante suited up for NU. The first set saw the Blue Eagles duo down 2-6 due to an aggressive start by the Bulldogs duo. Ateneo went on a run midway through the set, where they managed to minimize the deficit, 9-11. Both pairs went point-for-point as they neared the 21-point mark, ending the set with an equal 10-10 run and resulting in Ateneo’s first dropped set of the day, 19-21.
Looking to take the second set for themselves, the Blue Eagles created a 3-1 lead. However, the Bulldogs immediately countered with 10 points for an impressive 11-4 advantage at the halfway mark. With all momentum on their court, NU took hold of the set once more, downing Ateneo, 13-21, and eventually winning their first team point of the day.
Following NU’s successful doubles bid, Ateneo sent out Laborte to team up with Robby Ramos as they faced Perez and Zafra on the other side. The first set began with a seesaw battle, with both teams exchanging long rallies. Staying vigilant on defense, Ateneo took a one-point advantage halfway through with an 11-10 lead. As both teams were eager to get ahead, a point-for-point battle ensued, with Loyola Heights keeping a slim lead, 15-14. Not backing down, Ateneo turned up the jet, going on a blazing 6-0 run to stake NU at 14 and take the set, 21-14.
Similarly, the second set proved to be highly competitive, 8-8, until a 3-0 run by the Blue Eagles gave them an 11-8 advantage midway through the frame. Ateneo reloaded with another 6-0 run to make it a 17-8 affair after a 9-0 run overall. Now with full control over the Bulldogs, the Blue Eagles commandingly took it home, 21-11.
For the final match of the day, the third singles was between Vargas and NU’s Miko Mosarbas. Vargas began the match on a roll as he entered the interval with another 11-2 advantage, running away with the first set. The Co-Captain ended the set with a 10-6 run to close it out comfortably, 21-8.
With one set left to play, Vargas kept his foot on the gas pedal, reaching yet another lead at 11-5. A 10-4 run to close out the set gave Vargas the 21-9 set win, and capped off Ateneo’s elimination round for Season 88.
The Blue Eagles will play the Final Four this coming Tuesday, October 21, as they look to maintain their unblemished record and try to secure a return to the championship stage in UAAP Season 88.
Team-tie Score:
Ateneo-NU: 4-1
Results:
First Singles: Pandi (Ateneo) def. Zafra (NU), 21-8, 21-17
Second Singles: Laborte (Ateneo) def. Perez (NU), 21-5, 21-12
First Doubles: Gam & Villarante (NU) def. Vargas & Pandi (Ateneo), 19-21, 13-21
Second Doubles: Laborte & Ramos (Ateneo) def. Perez & Zafra (NU), 21-14, 21-11
Third Singles: Vargas (Ateneo) def. Mosarbas (NU), 21-8, 21-9
Current Standings (W-L):
- ATENEO Blue Eagles (5-0)
- NU Bulldogs (4-1)
- UP Fighting Maroons (3-2)
- UST Tiger Shuttlers (1-4)
- AdU Soaring Falcons (1-4)
- DLSU Green Shuttlers (1-4)
