THE ATENEO Fencing Teams (AFeT) put up a strong front on the penultimate day of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 88 Fencing Tournament. The team matches were held earlier today, March 15, at the Makati Coliseum in the City of Makati.
With the Sabre Team clinching the bronze medal in their tournament, the Men’s squad now joins the Women’s Team on the medal tally, bannering one medal apiece.
Women’s Foil Team
Kicking off Ateneo’s team events, Patricia Cablay, Yelena Martinez, Hannah Morico, and reserve Francesca Bernabe suited up against the University of Santo Tomas (UST)’s Lady Bathan, Sharlanne Gonzales, Ruby Sardenia, and substitute Kim Tuy in the Women’s Foil Team event.
Entering the quarterfinals as the fifth-seeded squad, the Blue Eagle trio needed a victory over their España-based counterparts to secure bronze by qualifying for the semifinals.
Although the AFeT got off to a slow 1-5 start, Martinez forced a drawn-out dogfight in the second relay bout, 3-7. However, the Blue Eagles eventually got outpaced by the Lady Fencers by the sixth relay bout, 12-30. Despite a tough rally from Morico in her match, 4-5, Ateneo eventually succumbed to UST, 19-45.
Men’s Sabre Team
Meanwhile, on the podium piste, Blue Eagles Sebastien Aceron, Andre Agatep, and Toby Cabrera, and substitute Alfonso Biason faced the University of the East (UE)’s Charles Babatio, Christian Concepcion, Khian Felipe, and reserve fencer Shawn Felipe, in the Men’s Sabre Team event.
Having been seeded third on the tableau, Ateneo automatically advanced with a bye to the semifinals. With the additional goal of toppling the defending Season 87 champions, the Katipunan-based trio aimed to upset the Red Warriors.
However, the Blue and White got off to a tough start, with Agatep and Aceron scoring two touches each as UE’s Concepcion and Felipe quickly reached their target scores, 4-10. In spite of this, Cabrera came away with Ateneo’s biggest comeback of the match, outscoring Babatio 9-5 in his relay bout to cut the Blue Eagle deficit to just two, 13-15.
Following Aceron’s duel with Concepcion, 16-20, Agatep put up a heroic comeback by scoring eight touches before UE reached their target score, with the team captain trimming the Red Warriors’ advantage to one, 24-25.
Even with Ateneo’s impressive stand, the Blue Eagles were outscored the rest of the match as UE pulled away in the final relays, 34-45.
Despite the final result, the Blue Eagles returned to the podium and successfully repeated their third-place finish from Season 87. Their bronze medal also officially placed the AFeT on the men’s medal tally—their first of the tournament thus far and the first medal overall in their team events for Season 88.
Men’s Épée Team
To conclude Ateneo’s events for the day, Zeb Largo, Kevin Lee, Jotham Thai, and reserve Gab Nuñez went up against UE’s Ramil Encelani, Shawn Felipe, Eubert Gale, and substitute Reynaldo Perez for the Men’s Épée match.
Despite the dedication, Thai fell short against Red Warrior Encelani in the first bout with a two-point deficit, 3-5. Blue Eagle Lee then continued struggling to establish a rhythm for the Blue Eagles, allowing Felipe to claim UE’s team score uncontested, 0-5.
With the Red and White gaining an edge at 15-5, Ateneo’s Largo and Nuñez attempted to match pace with two and three touches, respectively, in their bouts. Thai also contributed to the grind, but eventually still fell prey to UE’s Gale in the fifth relay, 10-25.
Unable to turn the tide, Largo and Nuñez found difficulty containing the Recto-based squad’s dominant team scores in the sixth and seventh bouts, 14-35. Regardless, the Blue Eagles maintained perseverance in the remaining encounters. Largo stood strong against UE’s Perez for a 3-5 output. In the same spirit, Blue Eagle Thai gallantly forged a 4-5 bout before eventually succumbing to the Red Warriors, 21-45.
Looking to end the season on a high note, the AFeT will seek to garner more accolades on its last day tomorrow, March 16, at 9:00 AM at the same venue.
Men’s Medal Tally (Gold-Silver-Bronze):
- UE Red Warriors (2-2-2)
- DLSU Green Fencers (1-2-2)
- UP Fighting Maroons (1-1-2)
- UST Tiger Fencers (1-0-3)
- ATENEO Blue Eagles (0-0-1)
Women’s Medal Tally (Gold-Silver-Bronze):
- UP Fighting Maroons (3-1-0)
- UE Lady Warriors (1-1-5)
- DLSU Lady Fencers (0-1-1)
- UST Lady Fencers (0-1-1)
- ATENEO Blue Eagles (0-0-1)
