THE ATENEO Women’s Badminton Team copped its first victory in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 86 Women’s Badminton Tournament over the Adamson University (AdU) Lady Falcons, 5-0. The match was held earlier today at the Centro Atletico Badminton Center in Quezon City.
The Blue Eagles swept all of their five matches today to earn a 1-0 win-loss record in the standings, opening its championship defense.
Team Captain Mika De Guzman kick-started the season opener with a dominant showing against AdU’s Patricia Timosa in the first singles match, 2-0. Initially facing an early 1-2 deficit, the Season 85 co-Most Valuable Player made quick work of her Ermita-based opponent in the first set, 21-5. De Guzman would carry her terrific performance over to the second set with a 10-point victory, 21-11.
Next for the Blue and White was Jochelle Alvarez, who also scored a 2-0 sweep in the second singles match against Althea Bartolazo. The Ateneo veteran scored ten consecutive points en route to a 21-7 win in the first set. Meanwhile, Alvarez faced an early 0-3 hole in the second set but maintained her composure and recovered to take the victory, 21-10.
Opening doubles action were veterans Missy Cervantes and Maxene Olango, who secured the team-tie victory for Ateneo after staving off Camille Buagas and Gracial Cabriga, 2-0. Both teams went on a back-and-forth exchange in the first set, but the Blue Eagles managed to pull away in the latter half, closing the bout, 21-11. The Katipunan-based duo came out firing to start the second set, scoring six straight points. Despite Adamson’s attempts to inch closer, Ateneo’s aggressive attacks late in the set sealed the win, 21-16.
De Guzman and Alvarez continued the Blue and White’s winning ways with a 2-0 victory over Justine Barrasona & Kristine Dulay in the second women’s doubles matchup. The Blue Eagles’ powerful smashes allowed them to take the first set, 21-10. Multiple errors from both squads kept the contest close for most of the second set, but Ateneo would ultimately scrape past Adamson, 21-14.
Feeby Ferrer capped off the Blue Eagles’ stellar afternoon with a 2-0 sweep over Ivy Plata. Despite a close battle early on, the veteran kept her poise and took advantage of her opponent’s errors, taking a 21-13 win in the first set. Ferrer’s quickness allowed Plata to commit multiple errors, which led to the Blue Eagle pulling away in the second set, 21-10.
Alvarez shared that today’s victory boosts her team’s confidence, but also notes that they need to overcome nervousness in every matchup. “Ang focus namin kasi ngayon is [taking it] one game at a time.” said Alvarez.
(Our focus right now is to take it one game at a time.)
The Blue Eagles will look to notch its second win of the season as they square off against the University of Santo Tomas (UST) Female Shuttlers tomorrow, October 29, 1:00 PM at the same venue.
