After a disastrous first day that saw one of their pillars succumb to injury, former back-to-back champions, the Ateneo de Manila University Lady Eagles, recovered from their opening day loss in style as they annihilated the Adamson University Lady Falcons, 5–0, Sunday afternoon at the Rizal Memorial Badminton Hall.
UAAP Season 76 Most Valuable Player Bianca Carlos set the tone for the Lady Eagles as she walloped Mikaela Aquino in straight games. Aquino stayed with the Atenean for both games until Carlos unleashed huge scoring runs to finish both frames. Carlos registered her second win of the season in two 21–7 score lines.
In the second singles match, Cassie Lim, who replaced injured Trixie Malibiran in the rotation, upended Alyssa San Pedro in two straight games. After relinquishing the first point of the match, Lim strung together nine straight points for a 10-1 lead. The Atenean never looked back and plucked the win, 21–7. San Pedro then kept the second game tight and trailed Lim by just four points at the break, 7–11. Lim, though, continued to punish her opponent and eventually closed the game and the match, 21–13.
Geva De Vera and Jana Dihiansan continued the romp for the Lady Eagles and clinched their first win together after only 20 minutes of action, against Christine Garin and Maggie Villacorta. The Lady Eagles led 11–4 at the interval and continued to roll to eventually win the game, 21–10. Ateneo then turned a slim three-point lead, 5–2, to a huge 18–2 advantage that proved to be insurmountable. De Vera and Dihiansan finished the match, 21–7.
Carlos then paired with lanky shuttler Nicole Nieto to upend Clydel Pada and Aquino in the longest match of the tie in two games. Ateneo led 11–5 into the first game interval and rolled on to seize it, 21–14. Aquino and Pada breathed down on the necks of the Ateneans, 6–9, before Carlos and Nieto put the match out of reach with six straight points. The Lady Eagles ended the match with a 21–12 win.
Samantha Santos joined in the party after blanking Pada in the final singles match of the tie. ADMU rose to an early lead, 8–1, which it never surrendered despite the attempts of Pada. Santos clinched the first game, 21–14. It was a similar story in the following frame as Ateneo led 11–4 into the break. Santos ended the run and the match, 21–11, to finish the day for her team.
The Lady Eagles (1-1) will face a tough test as they face the FEU Lady Tamaraws (1-1) while the Adamson Lady Falcons (0-2) face the UE Lady Warriors (0-2). Both games will be played on Wednesday, September 23 at 2:00pm
