Bouncing back from the opening day defeat against the reigning champions, Far Eastern University Lady Tamaraws quashed University of the East Lady Warriors, 5–0, Sunday at the Rizal Memorial Badminton Hall.
In the first singles match, FEU’s Thea Pomar bucked a slow start to defeat Erycka Labay in straight games. The UE rookie rose to an early 8–5 in the first game before Pomar nosed out to get to the interval first, 11–9. The second-generation shuttler, Pomar, took it from there and finished the frame with an excellent run, 21–15. In the following game, the Lady Tamaraw launched to a strong start to eventually blitz her opponent, 21–12.
Michal Duquilla registered her first win of the season for FEU after dominating Lyra Rosal in the second singles in two consecutive games. Duquilla and Rosal fought to a tight battle at the start of the opening frame before the sophomore went to the break ahead, 11–10. Duquilla then strung a couple of points to close the game with a 4–0 run, 21–15. It was an entirely different game in the second set as she rolled to a huge 11–3 lead at the interval. Duquilla unleashed run after run to power herself in securing the match, 21–8.
Pomar and partner Hannah Tudtud then made short work of Labay and Pamela Fernandez in the first doubles match to win the tie for the Lady Tamaraws. In the first game, Pomar and Tudtud emerged from a tight battle going into the interval. The Lady Tamaraws then romped off to a strong finish and took the game, 21–10. The duo of Tudtud and Pomar continued this momentum and built a huge advantage in the succeeding game. Fernandez and Labay tried to keep in step, but the deficit was too much as they conceded the game and the match, 10–21.
Duquilla paired up with Maridel Rivera to outlast Heide and Lyra Rosal in the second doubles. It was a tight battle throughout the opening frame as neither tandem took a comfortable lead. In the end, the lady shuttlers from Recto erased the UE sibling’s earlier game point to snatch the game, 22–20. The second game was no different, as both duos traded points. The FEU tandem broke free from an 11–all deadlock after the interval and eventually took the lead 16–11. UE then slowly crawled back to knot it back to 18. From there, Duquilla and Rivera score three more to end the game and the match, 21–18.
Tudtud completed the sweep for the Lady Tamaraws in the final singles match as she demolished Heide Rosal in straight games. The FEU sophomore nosed out Heide Rosal in both games of the match before uncorking huge scoring binges. Tudtud led 11–7 and 11–5 in the first and second games, respectively, but bundles of points in both frames put the match out of Rosal’s reach. Hannah won the match, 21–9, 21–13.
The Lady Tamaraws (1-1) will look to build a streak on Wednesday, September 23 as they face the Ateneo Lady Eagles (1-1). On the same day, the UE Lady Warriors (0-2) will face the Adamson Lady Falcons (0-2). Both games will be played at 2:30pm in the Rizal Memorial Badminton Hall.
