Court 5
Like a diesel engine, the Blue Shuttlers may have started slow, but each game day they seem to be getting better and better. After their loss to the UP team, Ateneo finished UST off by their 4th match. On the third day of the tournament, Ateneo practically steamrolled FEU, who were undefeated prior to this defeat, by winning the first 4 matches before dropping the final match.
Women’s Singles 1: Ma. Bianca Ysabel Carlos (ADMU) def. Michal Dei Daquilla (FEU) 2:0
ADMU 1 – FEU 0
Before today, the #1 ranked in both the women’s open and the u19 division Bianca Carlos was 4 – 0 during her singles matches. Based on this match, it seems she has no intention of losing her unbeaten streak anytime soon. Just like her team’s performance this season, Carlos started the first set on first gear, keeping her score ahead of Daquilla but unable to get a comfortable lead. She eventually pulled away with a 15 – 8 lead, but Daquilla was able to rally by scoring 6 straight points to keep the game close. Unfortunately for Daquilla, she was only able to score 1 more point as Carlos took the game 21 – 15. The second set showed how dominant Carlos could be, only allowing Daquilla to score 6 points total. Carlos was able to take a 7 – 2 lead that Daquilla countered with 4 straight points. These would be the last time she would score, as Bianca would blitz her with 14 consecutive points to win, 21 – 6.
Aggregate score: Carlos 42 – Daquilla 21
Total match time: 27 mins.
Women’s Singles 2: Patrisha Edrika Malibiran (ADMU) def. Thea Marie Pomar (FEU) 2:0
ADMU 2 – FEU 0
While not as dominating as Carlos was, Malibiran proved to be quite adept at dispatching her opponenets. The first set saw her take an early 11 – 3 lead over Pomar. Pomar would try to rally back into the game, cutting the lead to 6 with a score of 16 – 10. Not wanting to give her opponent a glimmer of hope, Patrisha countered with 3 straight points of her own to gain a 9 point lead, the biggest lead for their match. Pomar would attempt a last ditch effort for a comeback by scoring 6 points to her opponents 1, but the gap would prove to be too big as Malibiran would score the final point to secure the set, 21 – 16. Pomar would start the 2nd set strong by notching a 1 – 4 lead over Malibiran. She would keep her lead until Malibiran would score 3 straight points to tie the game at 9. Both players would trade points until Malibiran would go on another run, this time with 5 straight points to take a comfortable 16 – 11 lead. Pomar would score 2 straight points, but both athletes would end up trading points, ending in a victory for the Atenean, 21 – 17.
Aggregate score: Malibiran 42 – Pomar 17
Total match time: 35 mins.
Women’s Doubles 1: Janelle Gloriane De Vera and Dia Nicole Magno (ADMU) def. Thea Marie Pomar and Hannah Tudtud (FEU) 2:1
ADMU 3 – FEU 0 (ADMU wins)
If you were able to watch the game, you would’ve felt the tension and pressure coming from the FEU camp. If they wanted to get back into the game, things would have to change starting with this match. After dropping the first two singles matches, they’d have to win the two doubles and final single match to come out with a victory. Not an easy feat. The tension of the match showed all throughout the set as no team lead by more than 3 points, and the leads changed as many as 10 times. At the apex of set 1, the FEU squad was in the lead by 1 at 21 – 22. De Vera responded with 2 straight points to put Ateneo up by 1. Pomar tried to fight back by scoring 1 more point for her squad, but 2 straight points by Magno sealed FEU’s fate for the first set, ending it Ateneo’s victory, 25 – 23. The second set saw Ateneo gain an early foothold with a 6 – 2 lead thanks to 4 consecutive points from De Vera. FEU was able to tie the game at 11 apiece, keeping them in the game. They were able to finally take the lead and gain a 4-point advantage at 14 – 18. Ateneo gave a last ditch effort to catch up by scoring 2 points thank to De Vera, but Pomar quashed that idea by scoring 3 straight points of her own and taking the set, 16 – 21. The final set saw the tension between both teams reach an all-new level. Desperate to keep her team’s chances alive, the FEU supporter beside me kept rooting and cheering her team on, pleading for them to give their all. The set started with an early Ateneo lead at 4 – 1, but FEU managed to catch up and tie the game at 5. Things would start to heat up from here as no team would be able to take a comfortable lead over their opponent. The set would reach its conclusion when, with the score tied at 19 all, Magno would be able to break through FEU’s defense and score 2 consecutive points for the Ateneo squad, assuring her team of a victory no matter the outcome of the final two matches.
Aggregate score: De vera (33) Magno (29) 62 – Pomar (36) Tudtud (27) 63 –
Total match time: 65 mins.
Women’s Doubles 2: Ma. Bianca Ysabel Carlos and Patrisha Edrika Malibiran (ADMU) def. Maridel Rivera and Michal Dei Daquilla (FEU) 2:0
ADMU 4 – FEU 0 (ADMU wins)
What do you get when you pair up two of Ateneo’s most deadly players? You get a thrashing, that’s what. The first set had Ateneo up early thanks to a 5-point barrage by Carlos, giving them a 9 – 2 lead. FEU was able to stop the run, but they were never really able to bring the gap closer. With the score at 20-11, it was inevitable that the Ateneo would take the first set, and take it they did with a score of 21 – 13. Like the first, Ateneo was up early at the second set but this time it was thanks to 4 straight points from Malibiran, giving them a 4 – 0 score. FEU brought the lead down to 2 at 7 – 5, but Ateneo answered with another salvo that got them up by 10 at 19 – 9. The powerful duo of Carlos and Malibiran finally ended the set and match at 21 – 11.
Aggregate score: Carlos (24) Malibiran (18) 42 – Rivera (13) Daquilla (11) 24
Total match time: 20 mins.
Women’s Singles 3: Hannah Tudtud (FEU) def. Janelle Gloriane De Vera (ADMU) 2:0
ADMU 4 – FEU 1 (ADMU wins)
Before the match started, Hannah Tudtud’s coach gave her one last pep talk. “Wag kang susuko, kelangan natin yung points.” This proved to be enough motivation for her pupil as Hannah was able to win the match 2 – 0. The first set started out tight with both players trading leads. Tudtud was able to break the tie by going up 11 – 12, but De Vera was able to tie it right after. Both athletes would then trade points until the game was tied at 15 all. Tudtud would then be able to overcome De Vera’s defense by scoring 5 straight points. She would end the set victorious, 16 – 21. The 2nd set started with an early De Vera barrage that put her up 10 – 2. Not wanting to disappoint her coach, Tudtud rallied and eventually took the lead with a 12 – 1 run of her own. De Vera would trail Tudtud in points, but would eventually tie the game at 20 all. Tudtud would break the tie with a score of her own, but De Vera would quickly counter and tie the game again at 21 all. Drawing strength from the cheering of her team, who never once stopped motivating her, Tudtud would give FEU their only victory by scoring 2 straight points to end the game, 21 – 23.
Aggregate score: De Vera (ADMU) 37 – Tudtud (FEU) 44
Total match time: 35 mins.
Aggregate sets won: ADMU 8 – FEU 3
