SIX SEASONS since their dynasty began, the Ateneo Women’s Badminton Team reclaimed the crown as they ousted the National University (NU) Lady Bulldogs, 3-0, in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 88 Women’s Badminton Finals. The championship clincher was held earlier today, October 22, at the Rizal Badminton Hall in the City of Manila.
The victory gives the Blue Eagles their fifth championship in six seasons, and their first since Season 86’s Finals thriller. Notably, the match became many ‘lasts’ for multiple players, as multi-time champion and Most Valuable Player (MVP) Mika De Guzman donned her Ateneo jersey for the last time. Moreover, De Guzman was awarded her third MVP, ending her UAAP career on a high note as she went undefeated this season in the singles competition.
Driven to wrap up her collegiate stint on a high, Team Captain De Guzman made her presence known over NU’s Hailene Diaz, sweeping the Lady Bulldog 2-0 in a one-sided affair. In the opening frame, the reigning MVP challenged her opponent’s endurance with a tactical smash at 9-4. As NU Diaz’s shuttles kept on hitting the net, De Guzman managed to build a 17-7 margin. Sustaining her momentum, the Atenean shuttler unleashed a smash to close the set at 21-8.
With the Lady Bulldog being conflicted with errors, De Guzman grabbed the opportunity to forge a 6-0 run, 8-2. The Blue Eagle then converted a deceptive drop for a 15-7 advantage. Holding on to her command, De Guzman finished the job, forcing an error at 21-8.
For the second singles match of the Women’s Finals, Althea Ocampo went up against NU’s Ysabel Amora. Despite early setbacks, the Atenean kept up the fight and forced a 10-10 stalemate to stay in the game. A power struggle between the two persisted at the halfway mark as Ocampo continued to inch closer through Amora’s wide shots, 15-16. However, the Blue Eagle was unable to contain the Lady Bulldog towards the end, giving away the first set at 17-21.
To compensate, Ocampo charged her stamina, reclaiming the upper hand with a smash at 8-7. With NU’s Amora executing a faulty play, the Blue Eagle grabbed the chance and ran towards a 17-12 edge. Not letting go, Ocampo outplayed the Lady Bulldog to take the frame at 21-12.
Committed to imposing her authority, the Katipunan-based shuttler profited from NU’s misses to pull away further, 10-5. Ocampo then sustained this crafty showing, breaking ground at 17-10. Stepping into the final minutes, the Blue Eagle dictated the pace and took it home at 21-13.
With the determination to bring the championship back to Loyola Heights, Captain duo De Guzman and Alvarez stood opposite NU’s Amora and Alysa Desacola in the first doubles contest of the day. The Blue Eagles opened up the match with an early 6-1 run courtesy of repeated NU errors and powerful De Guzman hits. Stepping on the gas, Alvarez overwhelmed the Lady Bulldog defense with a swift smash, extending her squad’s lead to eight, 11-3. Relentless in their desire to win, the Katipunan-based duo showcased their championship experience, dominating the latter half of the set and emerging victorious, 21-6.
Needing one more set win for the gold, De Guzman and Alvarez dialed up their intensity, blazing to a 7-2 blitz to begin the second frame. Alvarez then responded to a reinvigorated NU sequence by delivering a smooth drop shot that went unanswered at the halfway point, 11-4. Unwilling to go down without a fight, the Lady Bulldogs went blow-for-blow with the Blue Eagles, scoring five markers to keep themselves alive, 8-15.
However, the chemistry of the De Guzman-Alvarez duo eventually proved too much for the upstart Lady Bulldogs, as a high-arching backrow smash from Alvarez sealed the set, 21-10, winning Ateneo the championship.
With now five of the last six UAAP Championships to their name, the Ateneo Women’s Badminton Team cements themselves as one of the greatest dynasties in Philippine collegiate badminton history.
Team-tie Score:
Ateneo-NU: 3-0
Results:
First Singles: De Guzman (Ateneo) def. Diaz (NU), 21-8, 21-8
Second Singles: Ocampo (Ateneo) def. Amora (NU), 17-21, 21-12, 21-13
First Doubles: De Guzman & Alvarez (Ateneo) def. Amora & Desacola (NU), 21-6, 21-10
