THE ATENEO Women’s Badminton Team successfully captured their third-straight championship in a dramatic finals showdown against Katipunan rivals University of the Philippines (UP) Fighting Maroons, 3-2, today at the Centro Atletico Badminton Hall in Quezon City.
Ateneo needed to rely on its championship pedigree to save its University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Women’s Badminton three-peat campaign, as they orchestrated a furious comeback after being down 1-2 in team-ties.
Starting off the championship was the first women’s singles match between Team Captain Mika De Guzman and UP’s Susmita Ramos. True to form, De Guzman utilized aggressive attacks en route to a resounding 21-7 first-set victory. The two teams engaged in a back-and-forth exchange, but multiple errors on Ramos’ end allowed De Guzman to take the second set, 21-14.
In the second women’s singles match, Jochelle Alvarez squared off against UP’s Thea Gonzalez. Both teams traded powerful shots, but mistakes from the Blue and White ultimately led to a 15-21 loss in the first set. The Fighting Maroons took advantage of Alvarez’s errors with their defense to secure the second set, 21-15.
De Guzman returned to partner with Season 82 co-Most Valuable Player (MVP) Chanelle Lunod to take on UP’s Susmita Ramos and Lea Inlayo in the first women’s doubles match. Errors late in the first set plagued the Ateneo duo, surrendering at 16-21. An early back-and-forth exchange then ensued in the second set, but Ramos and Inlayo pulled away late to take a 21-11 win for UP.
Looking to keep their title hopes alive, Alvarez paired up with Missy Cervantes as they faced UP’s Andrea Abalos and Thea Gonzalez in the second women’s doubles match. A string of powerful smashes and dropshots allowed the Blue Eagles to take the first set in convincing fashion, 21-7. Down 8-13 in the first half of the set, Alvarez and Cervantes scored five-straight points to tie the second set at 14-14. After a back-and-forth contest that followed, the Fighting Maroons managed to escape with a 21-17 win.
[Second Women’s Doubles]
— Alfonso M. Navarro (@Ali_TheGUIDON) November 13, 2022
Ateneo’s fast-paced comeback brings ties the game!
Ateneo: 14 UP:14#UAAPBadminton pic.twitter.com/WXO3pItp7L
Establishing early dominance, the Blue and White jumped into an early 7-2 lead and cruised past UP en route to a resounding 21-12 third-set victory to even the team-tie score at 2-2.
With the championship on the line, Chanelle Lunod squared off against UP’s Lea Inlayo in the third women’s singles match. After a heated battle that featured multiple lead changes and three deadlocks at 8-8,17-17, and 20-20, Lunod’s lethal drive gave Ateneo a thrilling 22-20 first-set victory.
[Third Women’s Singles]
— Alfonso M. Navarro (@Ali_TheGUIDON) November 13, 2022
Lunod’s merciless drive makes Ateneo take the first set of the matchup!
Ateneo: 22 UP: 20#UAAPBadminton pic.twitter.com/ieGfgv0kSB
The second set saw another close matchup with neither team being able to pull away. After another tough battle that saw four more ties at 15-15, 18-18, 19-19, and 20-20, Fighting Maroon Inlayo managed to escape with a 22-20 victory and force a third and final set for the championship.
With the season on the line, the Fighting Maroons established a 5-2 early lead in the third set but Lunod managed to recover to take a 11-8 advantage. Despite Inlayo’s comeback attempt, Lunod maintained her composure, sealing the 21-18 victory and the elusive third-straight championship for the Blue Eagles.
[Third Women’s Singles]
— Alfonso M. Navarro (@Ali_TheGUIDON) November 13, 2022
Chanelle Lunod has done it! The @AteneoShuttlers Women’s Badminton Team have successfully captured their third straight championship!
Ateneo: 21 UP: 18
Team Tie Score:
Ateneo: 3 UP: 2@TheGUIDONSports #UAAPBadminton
Due to the championship matchup’s endless momentum shifts, Lunod initially found it difficult to steady her performance; but the newly-crowned Season 85 co-MVP eventually showed why she was deserving of the award.
“During the last set and the interval, our coaches were telling me, ‘this is your last UAAP game ever. Make it count.’ Nag-iba yung mindset ko (My mindset changed) [from that] and I just wanted to take it one [play] at a time and I was [ultimately] able to deliver,” shared Lunod.
For team captain and co-MVP De Guzman, winning the championship was the result of a collective sense of hard work and determination. She said, “It’s all about having a strong heart and strong mind throughout the game and doing our best.”
The now-three-peat champions of UAAP Women’s Badminton finish off their title run with an unblemished 6-0 record in three weeks of action.
Team-Tie score: Ateneo-UP: 3-2
First Women’s Singles: De Guzman def. Ramos: 21-7, 21-14
Second Women’s Singles: Gonzalez def. Alvarez: 21-15, 21-15
First Women’s Doubles: Ramos & Inlayo def. Lunod & De Guzman: 21-16, 21-11
Second Women’s Doubles: Alvarez & Cervantes def. Gonzalez & Abalos: 21-7, 17-21, 21-12
Third Women’s Singles: Lunod def. Inlayo: 22-20, 20-22, 21-18
