No rust can bother a determined squad.
Defending back-to-back champions National University Bulldogs shook off a long lay-over and swept challengers Ateneo de Manila University Blue Eagles, 3-0, to move to a win away of claiming their third straight title, Wednesday morning at the Rizal Memorial Badminton Hall.
Head coach Jaime Llanes was worried that the long lull would affect the Bulldogs’ game.
“Napansin ko lang kasi ang haba ng rest namin,” Llanes said. “May tendency na, yung laro, hindi naman bumaba ng sobra, bumaba ng kaunti kasi nga ang tagal nung inintay namin.”
Rust was evident in some stretches, but when the defending titlists got their game on, they were unstoppable.
Last year’s top rookie Keeyan Gabuelo kept his immaculate UAAP record with a three-game decision over Jan Mangubat in the first singles match, 21-10, 14-21, 21-7.
The Bulldog sophomore leaned on his cat-quick reflexes to deny Mangubat in the first and third frames. However, errors from both sides proved costly as these helped the opponent to secure the games won.
Mangubat was able to capitalize on his power hits in the second game, but too much miscues led to his downfall in the deciding game.
In the second singles, former ROY Ros Pedrosa snuffed the fight off Hanz Bernardo in two games, 21-19, 21-10.
The two national team players fought toe-to-toe in the opening game, before Pedrosa’s composure reigned as he closed out the frame.
From there, the NU skipper never looked back as he continued to dominate in the second game. Bernardo imploded in the middle part of the chapter to even make it easier for Pedrosa to finish off the match.
Alem Palmares and Mike Minuluan then rose from first-game setback to complete the sweep. The Bustillos-based duo stopped Mangubat and Bernardo in three games, 17-21, 21-13, 21-15.
The Ateneans clinched the first game as they executed better with their rotations. Nevertheless, when Palmares and Minuluan got their jive, there is no turning back for the Bulldogs.
Errors from the NU pair and occasional kills lifted Mangubat and Bernardo, but the Bulldogs was just relentless to bounce back at the next instance they could get.
Coach Llanes believes that his wards should maintain their focus going to Saturday’s contest so that they could close it out.
“Siguro yung adjustment namin is mga strategies na lang, more on pep talk kasi alam naman nila yung gagawin nila,” he said.
The Bulldogs will try to clinch the title at the expense of the Blue Eagles, on Saturday at 9am at the same venue.
