The reigning UAAP women’s badminton champions University of the Philippines Lady Maroons continue its mastery over Ateneo de Manila University Lady Eagles, 4-1, to open its bid for a third-straight title in rousing fashion Saturday afternoon at the Rizal Memorial Badminton Hall.
Sparks flew at the very first match, as Philippines’ top women’s singles players Poca Alcala and Bianca Carlos took the court for UP and Ateneo, respectively, for the first singles match.
In the first game, Alcala managed to control the points and eventually cruised past Carlos before the break. Carlos then crept her way back in the frame with smart plays. The two-time MVP capitalized on the rookie’s errors, taking the game 21-19. The exact same story line happened in the following game, ending with an identical 21-19 result in Carlos’ favor.
The Lady Maroons then took it from there.
Returning to the UAAP after a two year hiatus, UAAP Season 75 MVP Gelita Castilo showed her prowess over Ateneo newbie Samantha Ramos in two contrasting games. Castilo pounced on the miscues of Ramos in the first game to easily win it at 21-8.
The former Atenean Castilo threatened a rout in the second game, but Ramos had other plans. Ateneo cut the deficit two, 18-20, from an 8-point one as Castilo succumbed to errors. Evetually, the fifth-year Lady Maroon took it strong in the next rally as she won the match at 21-18.
Alcala made amends in the first doubles match as she and UAAP Season 77 MVP Jessie Francisco waylaid Trixie Malibiran and Geva De Vera in two games.
The first game was a close one as both pairs exchanged points before UP eventually took it at 21-19. The following frame, however, was totally different as Alcala and Francisco dominated the Ateneans en route to a 21-9 finish.
Carlos and rookie Chanelle Lunod tried to keep Ateneo in the tie in the second doubles match, but eventually lost steam against Castilo and last year’s Rookie of the Year Lea Inlayo. Slow starts in both games doomed the Loyola-based tandem as UP used their momentum to close out the games. Inlayo turned on the aggression in the tail-end of the match resulting to errors, before successfully downing one to seal UP’s 19th straight win.
Reigning MVP Bea Bernardo completed the win for UP with a two-game conquest of Cassandra Lim in the third singles match, 21-18, 21-17
