The Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU) Blue Eagles bounced back from their opening day loss and walloped University of the East (UE) Red Warriors, 5–0, to register their first win of the UAAP Season 78 Men’s Badminton Tournament, Sunday morning at the Rizal Memorial Badminton Hall.
The Blue Eagles started on a high note after Hanz Bernardo disposed Andre Donesa in straight games in the first singles match. After a tight start, Bernardo pulled away with four straight points to push the first game into the 11th point break, 11–5. The Atenean launched another scoring binge to lead by as much as eight, before Donesa rallied and tried to keep it close. Bernardo would not be denied of the victory, however, and he finished the game, 21–14. ADMU pulled away again the middle portion of the following game, and this time, Bernardo did not look back and clinched the match, 21–12.
Team captian Clarence Filart made it 2–0 for the Katipunan-based squad when he whitewashed UE’s King Espiritu. Espiritu led at the start of the first game, before Filart made it a tight contest. Nonetheless, Espiritu hangged on to the lead at the break, 11–8. After the ceasefire, the Ateneo veteran made sure to string a couple of points while limiting his UE counterpart to completely turn the game into his favor, 21–17. In the following game, Filart asserted his might and length to completely annihilate Espritu, 21–7.
Bernardo partnered with Carlo Remo in the first doubles match to secure the initial win of the Blue Eagles. ADMU dominated the pair of Arman Manlalangit and Kenneth Cruz in two straight games. The first game of the tussle was a nip-and-tuck affair as both tandems exchange scoring runs. The Blue and White threatened to blow the game open with an 18–12 advantage, but the UE duo thought otherwise and tied the game at 19. Bernardo and Remo closed the frame with back-to-back points, 21–19. It was an entirely different story in the succeeding game, as Bernardo and Remo mounted a huge 10-point lead after the break en route to taking the game and the match, 21–7.
Ateneo’s Fidez Bagasbas and Patrick Gecosala survived the challenge of King and Laurence Espiritu in the first game before completely dominating the second, in the second doubles match, to secure their team’s fourth win of the day. Ateneo and UE figured in a close battle in the opening salvo. After the long tug-of-war, Ateneo went to match point first and eventually secured the game after several deuces, 30–28. Not wanting that to happen again, Bagasbas and Gecosala made short work of the Espiritus in the second game, 21–13.
In the final singles match, Jan Mangubat completed the onslaught for Ateneo over UE’s Angelo David. Mangubat nosed out David to get to the first game interval first, 11–9. From there, The Blue Eagle scored five straight to put the game out of reach, 21–15. It was a similar story in the second game. UE was trailing by just 1, 13–14, before Mangubat finished the win for Ateneo with a 7-point romp, 21–13.
Ateneo will match-up against their undefeated rivals De La Salle Green Shuttlers next on Wednesday, September 23. Meanwhile the Red Warriors will try to notch their first win against the Soaring Falcons.
