The National University Bulldogs Badminton squad opened their season with a convincing 4-1 match score over the University of the Philippines Badminton team. Rosleenard Pedrosa and Joper Escueta bagged two singles wins for the NU, before Carl Kristian Clemente and Joaquin Raphael Deato took the first doubles match of the game, winning two out of three sets for UP. NU shuttlers would however win the next two matches to give NU the season opener victory.
Men’s Singles 1: Rosleenard Pedrosa(NU) beats Lorenzo Miguel Leonardo(UP)
NU 1-0 UP
Pedrosa came out with all guns blazing in the first set of the match, 21-10, to take the early led. Leandro bounced back in the second set, hitting 19 points to 15 late in the set. However, Pedrosa came strong once in the next few minutes to overtake his opponent, 21-19 and take his second set and the match.
Aggregate score: Pedrosa- 42, Leonardo- 29
Total match time: 36 mins.
Men’s Singles 2: Joper Escueta(NU) beats Ethan Joshua Malelang(UP)
NU 2-0 UP
Escueta overpowered opponent Malelang, taking the first and second sets in blowout fashion. Escueta grabbed the first set via a 21-13 pummeling. A tilt in his favor that gave him six straight points and boosted him to a 20-10 lead secured the win for him, after Malelang could only put up one more point.
Aggregate score: Escueta- 42, Malelang- 24
Total match time: 18 mins.
Men’s Doubles 1: Carl Kristian Clemente and Joaquin Raphael Deato(UP) beat Ariel Magnaye and Paolo Gonzales(NU)
NU 2-1 UP
The NU duo opened the third match with a 21-15 win. However, the UP duo would come alive in the second set and pummel NU, 21-9. A thrilling tiebreaker saw the two teams battle each other in a hotly contested set, with both teams hitting the 20-point mark. The UP duo would however score three straight points, overtaking NU, and close out the match with a 23-21 win, UP’s first.
Aggregate score: Clemente and Deato- 59, Magnaye and Gonzales- 41
Total match time: 59 mins
Men’s Doubles 2: Joper Escueta and Alvin Morada(NU) beat Ethan Joshua Malelang Jon Jelson Masongsong(UP)
NU 3-1 UP
Escueta and Malelang returned to the court for the second time in the second double’s match of the game. NU took the early lead, but the UP shuttlers quickly caught up following a tilt the narrowed the lead to 18-16. NU would however go on and score three straight points to take the set. The second set proved to be another hot contest. NU took the early lead, but the UP duo quickly chipped away at the deficit to force a 20-20 deadlock. However, NU would score two straight points to win the set and give NU’s its third match win.
Aggregate score: Escueta and Morada- 43, Malelang and Magsongsong-36
Total match time: 35 mins
Men’s Singles 3: Ariel Magnaye(NU) beats Wilson Joseph Lopez(UP)
NU 4-1 UP
Despite taking the field for the second time, Magnaye showed no sign of fatigue, dishing out a 21-15 victory in the first set. He gave his Lopez no chance to bounce back, quickly building a 15-5 lead early on. Lopez could only come up with two more points, as another tilt gave Magnaye a 21-7 win and put the icing on the cake for NU.
Aggregate score: Magnaye- 42 points, Lopez- 22 points
Total match time: 31 mins
Aggregate sets won: NU 9, UP 2
