With the tie levelled at two matches apiece, Adamson University Lady Falcon, Mikaela Aquino, whitewashed Erycka Labay and the University of the East, to clinch their maiden victory, 3–2, Wednesday afternoon at the Rizal Memorial Badminton Hall.
Setting the tone for an exciting clash, Lyra Rosal rose from a game down to clinch the first singles over Clydel Pada. Pada inched out of a tight start of the first game, and led 11–6 at the break. The Lady Falcon used this advantage to pull through and closed the game, 21–13. The second game was as tight as it could get, as Rosal had a slim 11–10 advantage at the interval. After the ceasefire, Pada wrestled for the momentum, which she failed to keep. UE took notice of this and cruised to level the match, 21–17. It was another close battle in the deciding singles until Rosal closed it out to get the lead for the Lady Warriors, 21–15.
Christine Garin levelled the match for the Lady Falcons after surviving another three-setter against Heide Rosal in the second singles. After a strong start by Heide Rosal, she was slowly able to build an advantage after the break. Garin wrestled the lead, but the Lady Warrior reached game point first. However, Rosal failed to capitalize on the chance, as Garin was able to steal the game, 23–21. In the following game, the Lady Warrior bounced back from this missed opportunity and cruised past the Adamson senior to win the game at 21–10. The second frame was just as tight at the beginning before Rosal romped an 11–0 run to force a decider. In the final game, Garin could not be denied after unleashing her own onslaught. Rosal tried to keep it close, but Adamson won the match, 21–13, to level the tie.
The Rosal sisters then paired up to dispatch Adamson’s Garin and Mikaela Aquino in the first doubles match to regain the lead for UE. The Recto-based sisters took the early lead at the first game break and never looked back to win it, 21–15. Similarly, in the second game, the UE duo started well enough to deny the Lady Falcons any chance at the tail end of the game to register a similar 21–15 win.
Jhay Anne Macabenta and Pada powered the Lady Falcons to a deciding singles match, as they dislodged UE’s Labay and Pamela Fernandez in three games in the second doubles match. With just a match needed, the Lady Warriors used a 14–7 lead to comfortably hold off Macabenta and Pada in the first game, 21–18. The Adamson duo, with sense of urgency, kept the second game close before pulling through to break an 18–all deadlock, and forced a third and final game, 21–18. Labay and Fernandez took the last frame into the court change, 11–8, before Adamson scored two scoring runs to lead 17–12. The Lady Falcons soared in the end and forced the Lady Warriors to a third singles battle, 21–16.
Aquino and Labay then took the court for the anchor’s match. The Adamsonian pulled through an early lead, maintained it, and finished strong to close the first game at 21–14. Aquino continued her rampage in the second game and did not hand Labay any lease for life after pulling through a close 15–12. The Lady Falcon senior clinched the game and the match and completed the comeback, 21–14.
