The Ateneo de Manila University Lady Eagles dispatched their last opponent for the elimination round, the University of Santo Tomas Lady Shuttlers to enter the semi-finals of the UAAP Women’s Badminton Season 79 tourney, 5-0, Saturday afternoon at the Rizal Memorial Badminton Hall.
Ready to rumble, Ateneo senior Patricia Malibiran played against UST’s Angelic Panotes in the first singles. In the first set, both players exchanged points but Malibiran came out stronger after the interval, defeating her opponent with a score of 21-9.
In the second set, she made a 16-3 margin. Panotes was not able to cut the lead, resulting in a blowout, 21-5.
Bianca Carlos then followed the full throttle of Ateneo making a 9-0 run to start her match against Airish Macalino. Macalino tried to work her way up but Carlos was on a higher gear. The set ended with a score of 21-8.
Macalino opened the second set with 5-0 run. The re-energized Tigress continued to dominate until the interval. But after that Carlos unleashed rally after rally, ultimately catching up to Macalino, 15-all. The fiery Atenean shuttler did not let Macalino score from there and won the game, 21-15.
The Atenean tandem of Geva De Vera and Cassandra Lim locked their much-awaited victory belt after defeating Kristine Gaspar and Ann Pimentel of UST in the first doubles. The whole 25 minutes were an intense game, especially the first set where UST forced a deuce to the De Vera – Lim duo, but were unable to score giving the win to ADMU, 22-20.
The disappointment of their loss in the first set got the best of UST, however, they still tried to bounce back, even tying the game before interval, 10-all. The tandem of De Vera and Lim strained UST in several rallies, and claimed the set, 21-15.
With high spirits after securing the victory, the Ateneans ruled the rest of the series. Carlos together with Chanelle Lunod won against Macalino and Steffi Aquino in the second doubles, 21-13, 21-16. Samantha Ramos put the icing on the cake, ending her match against Aquino, 21-14, 21-10.
Sunday, October 2 at 1pm, Ateneo will go up against the National University for the first round of the stepladder.
