Defending champions Ateneo de Manila University Blue Shuttlers once more came out strong, taking down the University of the Philippines Fighting Shuttlers, four games to one, Wednesday at the PSC Badminton Hall. The meeting between the two Katipunan-based schools saw the Ateneans bag the first three matches, including both singles matches and the first doubles match to bounce back from Sunday’s loss to De La Salle University to take home the day’s point.
Men’s Singles 1: Justin Natividad(ADMU) def. Wilson Joseph Lopez(UP) 2:1
ADMU 1- 0 UP
The seventy-minute opener saw Lopez take the first game, overtaking Natividad who had lead for most of the set. Momentum would turn in favor of the shuttler from UP, who would take in four straight points after a 17-19 deficit to gain the upper hand. Natividad however would bounce back in the next game, closing out the set with a six-point rally to bounce back and tie the match after a 21-14 win in the second set to force a third round. Natividad opened the tiebreaking game with a 5-1 lead early, but Lopez would soon catch up to level the playing field. A tilt in favor of Natividad that gave the Atenean a 15-11 would however play a big factor in the set, as Lopez, despite being able to answer his opponent’s serves, found no way to stop his opponent from raking in points. Natividad would go on to win the game, 21-17, and give the Blue Shuttlers their first match point of the day.
Aggregate score: Natividad-61, Lopez- 52
Total match time: 70 mins
Men’s Singles 2: Carlo Glen Remo(ADMU) def. Miguel Leonardo Lorenzo(UP) 2:0
ADMU 2- 0 UP
Ateneo’s second win would come in the form of a thirty-minute victory over UP in the second men’s singles match. Remo quickly bagged the first game, 21-17, relying on a late tilt to quickly pull away from opponent Lorenzo. He came back stronger in the second set, quickly rallying to an 8-2 lead. Though Lorenzo would later be able to respond to Remo’s lobs, a tilt in favor of Remo that gave him a 19-9 advantage would prove too much for Lorenzo. Remo would hold on a take home Ateneo’s second match point, 21-12 in thirty-two minutes.
Aggregate score: Remo- 42, Lorenzo- 29
Total match time: 32 mins.
Men’s Doubles 1: Justin and Patrick Natividad(ADMU) def. Karl Christian Clemente and Joaquin Rafael Deato(UP) 2:0
ADMU- 3 0 UP
The first doubles match between the two Katipunan schools pitted brothers Justin and Patrick Natividad against UP’s Clemente and Deato, both of whom were coming onto the pitch for the first time. The Ateneo duo dominated the first game, taking a 21-15 victory in the set to gain the upper hand. The second bout would prove a much tougher contest, with both sides trading lobs and smashes. A 16-all deadlock however would only give way to the Ateneo duo gaining momentum, raking in six more points and giving up only one, five of which would were awarded to Justin Natividad. The 21-17 victory in the set would give Ateneo the 3-0 match edge and guarantee the point for the day.
Aggregate score: Natividad and Natividad- 42, Deato and Clemente- 32
Total match time: 30 mins.
Men’s Doubles 2: Ethan Joshua Malelang and Lorenzo Miguel Leonardo(UP) def. Theodore Co and Nicole Filart(ADMU) 2:0
ADMU 3-1 UP
Taking the stage for the first time, the duo of Co and Filart came out strong at the start of the game, but Malelang and Leonardo quickly answered back to duel Ateneo in a hotly-contested set. The UP duo would eventually overtake their opponents and take a 17-13 lead, but a tilt for Ateneo would keep Co and Filart in striking distance. Leonardo would however come up big rake in three of Ateneo’s last four points to hold on for the 21-18 game victory. The second set would prove to be another tough bout between the Katipunan schools. The UP duo would take a narrow 17-16 edge, and would soon find a way to suppress UP scoring to hold on for another 21-18 set victory and give UP its only match point for the day.
Aggregate score: Malelang and Leonardo- 42, Co and Filart-36
Total match time: 30 points
Men’s Singles 3: Patrick Wilfred Natividad(ADMU) vs Jon Jelson Masongsong(UP) 2:0
ADMU 4-1 UP
Despite taking the stage for the second time that day, Ateneo’s Natividad showed no sign of fatigue in the first game, quickly routing UP’s Masongsong, playing for the first time that day, 21-10. Masongsong would bounce back stronger in the next set, finding ways to answer Natividad’s strong start. A late rally would give Masongsong the chance to close the gap, but Natividad would hold on for his 21st point and put the icing on the cake for Ateneo after a 21-17 game victory.
Aggregate score: Natividad- 42, Masongsong- 27
Total match time: 30 mins.
Total Games Won
ADMU: 8
UP: 3
