AFTER A disappointing loss yesterday, the Ateneo Women’s Lawn Tennis Team was looking to bounce back against the University of Santo Tomas (UST) Lady Tennisters in Day 3 of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 81 Women’s Lawn Tennis Tournament held on Sunday, February 24 at the Colegio San Agustin-Bulacan Tennis Stadium, Bulacan.

To open proceedings, Martina Bautista was steamrolled despite her promising start in the first singles match, 2-6, 0-6, which cancelled out Shaira Rivera’s commanding 6-0, 6-4 victory against Angelica Mosqueda.
Team Captain tandem Jana Hernandez and Jana Pages made quick work of UST’s Ingrid Gonzales and Shymae Gitalan in the first set, but needed late service breaks in the second set to win it for Ateneo, 6-0, 6-4.

Bettina Bautista’s straight set loss, 3-6, 1-6, against Erika Manduriao left the fate of the tie in the hands of doubles pair in Nicole Amistad and Titan Llavore. In the hotly-contested affair against UST’s Mean San Jose and Immaville Gervacio, Amistad and Llavore kept their nerve during the second set tiebreak to take the match, 6-4, 7(7)-6(4), and the tie.

After her match, Hernandez explained that Coach Jennifer Saret instructed her squad to choose their lineup in order to make the players more accountable and inject motivation into the team. “We [Hernandez and Jana Pages] really made sure that we were going to get this [win],” Hernandez said.  

Aside from an important morale boost, the win also improved their record to 2-1 in the tourney. The team will be looking to continue the momentum when they face the University of the Philippines Lady Maroons at 11:00 AM on Sunday, March 3 at the same venue.

Team-tie score: Ateneo 3 UST 2

Set scores:

1st singles: M.R. San Jose def. M. Bautista (2-6, 0-6)
2nd singles: Rivera def. Mosqueda (6-0, 6-4)

3rd singles: Erika Manduriao def. B. Bautista (3-6, 1-6)

1st doubles: Hernandez/Pages def. Gonzales/Gitalan (6-0, 6-4)
2nd doubles: Amistad/Llavore def. M. San Jose/Gervacio (6-4, 7(7)-6(4))