DESPITE A strong start to Season 82 of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP), the Ateneo Men’s Badminton Team failed to keep up with prime contenders the National University (NU) Bulldogs in their second game of the season. Ateneo got outperformed by the defending champions, falling with a team-tie score of 1-4 on Friday, September 20, at the Centro Atletico Badminton Hall, Quezon City.

The Blue Eagles brought out Team Captain Keoni Asuncion for a head-to-head battle with NU’s Frell Gabuelo for the first singles match of the game. Gabuelo kept Asuncion at bay for most of the match, as he won the first set for NU 21-15, and kept it going for the second set, winning 21-16.

Rookie Arthur Salvado was hungry to avenge his captain’s loss in the ensuing match, facing off against Solomon Padiz of NU. Salvado went to work early, leading by five going into the break, but a few errors and an unrattled Padiz brought the match back to NU. Padiz completed the comeback to win in the first set, 23-21.

The second set saw Solomon Padiz taking an early lead for NU, but an unrelenting Salvado made sure that Padiz never pulled away, with the score remaining close throughout the set.

Salvado had a comeback of his own to match Padiz’s comeback in the first set. Down 17-20, with NU already at match point, Salvado scored three straight to keep the game alive. Unfortunately for Ateneo, the comeback fell short as Padiz sealed the game with two straight points, ending the set 22-20 to secure a 2-0 team-tie lead for NU.

Ateneo’s two captains Asuncion and Fides Bagasbas took to the court together in the first doubles match of the day, facing off against NU’s Julius Villabrille and James Ryan Villarante. The first set saw the Ateneo captain duo lag behind the firepower of Villabrille and Villarante, leading to a 15-21 victory for the NU tandem. The second set was no different, with Bagasbas and Asuncion falling behind early en route to a 13-21 drubbing at the hands of Villarante and Villabrille. Despite the captains’ efforts, NU cruised to a third team-tie score, 3-0.

Rookies Jeno Cariño and Arthur Salvado teamed up in the second doubles match, this time against earlier opponent Frell Gabuelo and Estarco Bacalso III. The young shuttlers started aggressively for Ateneo, keeping Bacalso and Gabuelo on their toes with crafty plays. 

Bacalso and Gabuelo held it together and took the first set, 21-18. Salvado and Cariño would succumb to errors in the second set, as the NU duo took the reins and delivered another victory for NU in the second, 16-21.  

Heading into the last match, the Blue Eagles remained winless without a single set victory for the day. However, Fides Bagasbas looked to redeem himself on the court against Estarco Bacalso III for the third and last singles match of the day. With both players worn from earlier battles, the game turned into a slugfest, with Bagasbas eventually grabbing a six-point lead on Bacalso in the first set. After a concentrated comeback by Bacalso, Bagasbas forced an error at match point on Bacalso to win Ateneo’s first set at 21-17.

Bagasbas hopped out to another six-point lead by the half of the second set before finally slowing down due to fatigue. Bacalso took advantage and slowly turned the tide, winning the second set, 21-17.  With the whole team and the remnants of the crowd cheering him on, Bagasbas showed off his veteran savvy and swiftly dealt Bacalso a loss in the third and deciding set, 21-17. Bagasbas’ win was among the few bright spots on an otherwise humbling day for the Blue Eagles. 

Ateneo will now look for redemption against another UAAP powerhouse, the Adamson University Soaring Falcons, on Sunday, September 20, 8:00 AM, at Camp Crame, Quezon City. 

Team-Tie Score: Ateneo 1, NU 4

Set Scores:

1st Singles : Frell Gabuelo (NU) defeated Keoni Asuncion (Ateneo): 21-15, 21-16

2nd Singles : Solomon Padiz (NU) defeated Arthur Salvado (Ateneo): 23-21, 22-20

1st Doubles : James Ryan Villarante and Julius Villabrille (NU) defeated Keoni Asuncion and Fides Bagasbas (Ateneo): 21-15, 21-13

2nd Doubles : Estarco Bacalso III and Frell Gabuelo (NU) defeated Jeno Cariño and Arthur Salvado (Ateneo): 21-18, 16-21

3rd Singles : Fides Bagasbas (Ateneo) defeated Estarco Bacalso III (NU): 21-17, 17-21, 21-17