Continuing their winning streak since the first day, the incumbent champions, NU Bulldogs, remain to be one of the teams to beat in this year’s UAAP Badminton Championship as it yet again unveils what they are capable of. Delivering a single-sided crushing 5-0 victory against the San Marcelino-based Adamson Falcons, the NU Bulldogs showed its opponents that they are truly deserving to return to defend their hard fought championship title.
Beginning the merciless assault was NU’s Keeyan Gabuelo who struck hard behind a calm persona as he demolished Adamson’s Gerloth Delizo. Showing a massive display of his firepower, Gabuelo wasted no time in dispatching Delizo in a one-sided first set victory that ended with a huge point difference of 21-5. The second set will also result in a one-sided set victory for NU when Gabuelo continued to overwhelm the improved defense of Delizo which ended the 2nd set 21-14, and notching NU’s first victory of the day.
The second match did not bring a change of tide for the already downtrodden AdU Soaring Falcons as NU’s Roslee Pedrosa also went to war against his opponent, AdU’s Kevin Fabros, with all guns blazing. Pedrosa would succeed in dispatching his opponent in a swift 24 minute match that resulted in a 21-15 first set victory as well as a crushing 2nd set victory that saw the overwhelming defeat suffered by Fabros 21-7.
The entrance of the doubles match ups also failed to bring a fresh supply of good luck for the still grounded Falcons as the duo of Alvin Morada and Peter Magnaye proved to be every bit of relentless, and ultimately destroyed the opposition, Adamson’s Oleen Concha and Aldrin Paclibare in a two set beatdown that ended in a disaster for Adamson 21-9 and 21-8.
The second doubles duo of Adamson consisting of Kevin Fabros and Gerloth Delizo would, however, fared better than those that came before them as they ultimately were able to limit the scoring of their opposition, NU’s Jowin Carlos and Paul Gonzales, in the early minutes of each set. Sadly, this did not equate to a Soaring Falcon victory as the duo of Carlos and Gonzales would always find a way to drive in deep in the latter minutes of the sets to take the match 21-18 and 21-17 respectively.
The final singles would show a glimpse of light for the the hard lucked Adamson Falcons as a surprising victory would be won by AdU’s EJ Viloria against NU’s Alvin Morada in the first set 11-21. This glimpse of light, however, did not last long as dark clouds once again rained on AdU’s parade as a resurgent Morada stepped up his game to deny another set victory. Morada would go to go on the offensive in the second and thirds sets to batter the once successful Viloria to surrender the match as he ultimately bows down in the final sets 21-17 and 21-8 respectively.
The NU Bulldogs will look to extend their lead at the expense of the UE Red Warriors while the AdU falcons will look forward to hopingly turn the momentum on their side yet again as they are scheduled to face off against the UP Fighting Maroons on the same day.
