One point, one game, and one match at a time.
The Ateneo de Manila University Lady Eagles blanked the second-seeded De La Salle University Lady Green Shuttlers, 3-0, and sent the semifinals to a winner-take-all tussle on Saturday, Wednesday afternoon at the Rizal Memorial Badminton Hall.
Fourth-year Lady Eagle Trixie Malibiran shook off an opening-game setback to upend third-year La Sallian Arianne Rivera in three, 19-21, 21-19, 21-15, in the first singles match.
It was a nip-and-tuck battle in the opening sets, where the victor was the one who controlled the pace of the match. Rivera went to her power hits, while Malibiran converted on her patented drops. Errors from either side brought about the results of the first two frames, sending the match to a decider.
In the third frame, Malibiran led early as the Lady Green Shuttler was a bit late to react to the former’s attacks. The former Ateneo skipper also mixed it up on offense as she dominated the third game.
Team captain Bianca Carlos then made short work of Alyssa Leonardo in the second singles match, 21-14, 21-10. The Queen Eagle rained the La Salle senior’s defense with a variety of shots. Leonardo had some moments, but the huge lead that Carlos had mounted was too big to overhaul.
But Carlos is not a two-time MVP for nothing, and this time she anchored her team into another possible Finals stint.
With rookie Chanelle Lunod by her side, the Ateneo skipper steered the Blue and White in the lone doubles match. Carlos and Lunod defeated the veteran duo of Kristelle Salatan and Aires Montilla in three games.
The Taft tandem controlled the first game as they capitalized on Carlos’ slight fatigue from playing the latest match and on Lunod’s youth. Errors from the Lady Eagles compounded their woes as Salatan and Montilla clinched the first game, 21-19.
The following game was different, at least in its early stages. Ateneo breezed to an 11-1 lead at the frame’s interval. DLSU tried to keep it close; nonetheless, the deficit was too far as the Lady Eagles sent it to a deciding game, 21-18.
The third game was a tight battle before Ateneo pulled away in the middle portion. When Salatan and Montilla found their groove, they threatened to and came within two, 12-14. In the end, miscues from the La Salle seniors and the aggressive play won it for the Lunod-Carlos pair.
When Salatan’s smash return clipped the net, their journey to the Finals was ended by their archrivals, the Lady Eagles, 21-19.
Malibiran shared that they hadn’t expected a sweep. Instead, she said, “Actually, focus lang namin was one game at a time. So like, if nakakuha kami ng one point, then okay. If hindi, bawi. Lahat kami actually focus lang isang game. Kung sino naglalaro, doon. Hindi namin iniisip na kailangan 3-0.”
“Even if we’re happy, kasi 1-1 na, kahit nanalo kami rito, focus pa rin,” she added.
The archrivals face off one last time on Saturday, October 8, at 1pm at the same venue for the right to face the defending back-to-back champions University of the Philippines Lady Maroons in the title series.
