THE ATENEO lady shuttlers triumph against rivals De La Salle University (DLSU) three games to zero on Wednesday, October 5, 2016 at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in Manila.
The 3-0 team-tie in favor of Ateneo means the Lady Eagles will go head-to-head against the DLSU Lady Archers once more in a do-or-die semi-finals match.
The first match of the day featured Trixie Malibiran against DLSU’s Rivera as the two competitors looked to gain a foothold in the team-tie. Malibiran clearly struggled to cope with Rivera’s height advantage losing on a number of points after strong smashes from the Lady Archer. While Malibiran lacked in height, she made up for in agility, managing to win drop shot showdowns with her DLSU counterpart. The first set saw Malibiran narrowly lose out 19-21 while the second set saw her regain equal footing with the DLSU player, 21-19. In a tense start to the third set, Malibiran saw Rivera smash successfully and pile pressure on the Lady Eagle. A resilient Malibiran continued to fight, eventually taking the advantage at the interval (11-7) and claiming the set 21-15.
Ateneo Lady Eagles Team Captain Bianca Carlos stepped up to take on Leonardo in a crucial second set. Similar to Malibiran, the lady shuttlers captain seemed to struggle with Leonardo’s offensive play. The two exchanged services early in the set but the Ateneo shuttler managed to take the interval (11-7). Carlos then went on a run of points eventually claiming the first set with ease (21-14). The Lady Eagle continued on her fine form to dominate before the interval (11-5) and claim the match with an impressive second set score of 21-10. The win put Ateneo ahead in the team-tie by two points.
The first doubles of the team-tie saw Carlos team up with fellow lady shuttler, Chanelle Lunod, in a bid to end the showdown early. The Ateneo duo faced-off against DLSU’s Salatan and Montilla. The early stages of the first set saw La Salle continue to dominate the Ateneo duo with their strong baseline smashes. Though DLSU claimed the interval (10-11), the Ateneo pair continued to put up a fight. Ateneo heartbreakingly conceded the set one point away from forcing a deuce. Now with more to prove, Carlos and Lunod were determined to make amends in the second set; the tantalizing tandem started off claiming a huge 10-point lead but conceding the lead after the interval. A tense end to the set saw the Lady Eagles edge out the Archers by two (21-18). With a set under their belt, the Ateneo lady shuttlers looked confident in dispatching their La Salle counterparts in the third and final set of the match. Carlos continued her dominant crosscourt drops while Lunod covered the baseline behind her captain. Though the Lady Eagles claimed the interval with another comfortable lead (11-6), a loss of their rhythm allowed DLSU to pounce (17-16). Determined to end the game, Carlos and Lunod upped their intensity and aggressiveness to put pressure on the DLSU duo, eventually claiming the set at 21-19.
The Lady Eagles will be looking to claim another straight-match win against rivals DLSU when they face the Green Archers in the second leg of the semi-finals. The team-tie winner will face University of the Philippines.
