Ateneo de Manila University’s quest for a fifth consecutive championship kicked off with its 24th straight win, dating back to UAAP Season 81, as it held off a determined Adamson University, 4-1, on the opening day of the Season 87 Women’s Badminton Tournament at the Rizal Memorial Badminton Hall in Manila.
Team captain and Smash Pilipinas standout Mika De Guzman led the way for the Blue Eagles, teaming up with Feeby Ferrer for a commanding 21-17, 21-9 victory over Justine Barasona and Jennifer Ondol in the second doubles match. This win came after Adamson took the first doubles rubber, putting pressure on Ateneo to respond.
Camille Buagas and Graziel Cabriga secured a crucial win for Adamson in a grueling 75-minute contest against Althea Fuentespina and Missy Cervantes, 21-14, 19-21, 21-16. Their effort briefly kept the Lady Falcons in the fight, setting the stage for De Guzman and Ferrer’s heroics.
“Well, again, as expected naman. Kami, we’re expecting na there are individual or pair na magsha-shine in every team. So, alam naman namin ‘yun and it happened na we can lose a few matches. We just kept our focus and our goals intact. Every team tie, the goal, of course, is to win it. We’ll just keep it that simple,” said Ateneo head coach Kennie Asuncion.
“It’s the first day and we expected naman na may good rallies and some na we hope na could-have-been better rallies, but that’s how the game goes. We’ll take it as it is and improve whatever we need to improve, and i-hone pa naman ‘yung strong assets namin,” added Asuncion, who is also the current program head of the national team.
Rookie Althea Dawn Ocampo got things rolling for the four-time defending champions, dominating Adamson’s Aleyha Villanueva, 21-11, 21-13, in the first singles match. De Guzman, the reigning MVP for three straight seasons, followed with a clinical 30-minute finish over Mariane Barcelona, 21-9, 21-4, doubling Ateneo’s lead.
Angel Valle completed Ateneo’s dominant performance with a hard-fought 21-15, 22-20 win against Aubrey Fuerte in the final singles match, sealing the 4-1 victory.
In other matches, University of the Philippines and National University both secured 4-1 victories over De La Salle University and the University of Santo Tomas, respectively.
(C) UAAP Season 87 Media Team
Philippine Badminton Open 2024 women’s doubles finalists Kimberly Lao and Patricia De Dios came through for UP in a thrilling 23-21, 25-23 win against Jacqueline Pantoja and Viana Antonio in the second doubles match, which lasted 44 minutes.
Meanwhile, NU’s Jeya Von Pinlac and Andrian Songcuan needed three sets and 68 minutes to edge out Rhafi Santos and Jennifer Saladaga, 15-21, 21-17, 21-10, securing the first win for the Lady Bulldogs.
Third-year UP player Althea Gonzalez came from behind to win her singles match against Antonio, 16-21, 22-20, 21-16, in a marathon one-hour and 27-minute battle, putting the Fighting Maroons on the board. Lady Tuario then tied it for DLSU with a 21-17, 21-11 win over rookie Anielka Paz.
However, Smash Pilipinas training pool member Sushmita Ramos took over for UP, pairing with Dianne Libaton for a decisive 21-16, 21-13 victory in the first doubles match before wrapping up the day with a 21-17, 21-14 win against Ghiselle Bautista in the final singles match.
(C) UAAP Season 87 Media Team
For NU, Ysabel Amora and Sarah Joy Barredo laid the groundwork for Pinlac and Songcuan’s doubles victory by winning the first two singles matches. Amora, the PBO 2024 runner-up in women’s singles, delivered a 21-11, 21-14 sweep of Patricia De Leon, while Barredo handled Reshane Nicor, 21-16, 21-10.
De Leon salvaged one point for UST, teaming up with Marielle Alvarez in a match that was interrupted twice by roof leaks but ended with a 21-15, 11-21, 21-15 win over Barredo and Gwyneth Desacola.
The Lady Bulldogs’ other win came from Karyll Rio, who dispatched Charlize Belen, 21-8, 21-11, in the third singles match.
NU and UP will face each other for a potential early lead tomorrow at 1 p.m. at the same venue.
Ateneo will look to extend its winning streak when it takes on rival DLSU, while UST and Adamson will battle for their first win of the season.
