Fresh from a solid rookie year, national team standout Sarah Barredo steered National University to a comfortable win over Adamson University, 5-0, to open the UAAP Season 82 Women’s Badminton tournament in style, Wednesday afternoon at the Centro Atletico Badminton Center.
The top rookie from Season 81 opened the session with a 22-minute demolition of Jhay Anne Macabenta at 21-1, 21-5, before teaming up with Jiselle Capillo in the first doubles match to topple Ann Magallanes and Clydel Pada, 21-9, 21-13.
Capillo earlier put the Lady Bulldogs at a comfortable 2-0 advantage after taking down Pada also in just two games, 21-13, 21-19.
The sophomore standout was pleased with her team’s performance saying, “Siguro yung nangyari last season was hindi kami naging consistent. This season, mas okay naman yung lineup namin and all, just play the game lang talaga.”
Despite losing Thea Pomar to graduation, Barredo believes they still have what it takes to make another Final Four run. “Yung mga pumalit is malalakas din sila and nag-train sila sa Indonesia bago mag-start yung season,” she added.
Raring to continue their Finals streak, the short-handed University of the Philippines also carved a 5-0 sweep over University of the East.
Jaja Andres and Aldreen Concepcion pounced on their opponents, before captain Pauline Santos and Tricia Opon waxed hot in the second set to clinch the tie.
Andres took down Justine Amposta in 16 minutes at 21-6, 21-8, in the first singles match. Concepcion, on the other hand, swept Graziel Cabriga, 21-8, 21-15, to put the Fighting Maroons up at 2-0. Santos and Opon then pummeled Kessara Palot and Patrice Reyes in second set at 21-12 after surviving a 23-21 opener.
De La Salle University joined in the sweep party as they also trashed University of Santo Tomas, 5-0.
Despite missing the services of UAAP Season 80 Most Valuable Player Nicole Albo, the Lady Shuttlers leaned on graduating captain Iyah Sevilla to deny the Lady Tiger Shuttlers the upset. The national team shuttler disposed of Elij Pena, 21-7, 21-10, in the first singles match. Then, with Kanna Baba, repeated over Pena, this time with Alexandra Aguilar, 21-14, 21-10, in the tie-clinching first doubles win.
