Ateneo Badminton teams reach finals of UAAP 74

The Ateneo de Manila Badminton teams have been having a spectacular season. And it’s not over yet.

On Sunday, September 11, the Blue Eagles and the Lady Eagles swept their respective opponents, winning 3 straight matches to book a ticket to the finals of UAAP Season 74 Badminton tournament.

At 9 am, the Blue Eagles took on the DLSU shuttlers. Nationally ranked Toby Gadi disposed of JC Clarito to grab an early lead, 1 match to 0. Pawee Natividad followed it up with a 21-19, 21-17 win over Ronel Estanislao to extend their lead to 2 matches.

In the first doubles match, Gadi and Justin Natividad battled it out with Estanislao and Mej Martinez. The match reached three games after the teams split the first two games. Ateneo won the first game, 22-20, while La Salle drubbed the Blue Eagles in the second game, 9-21. However, the Blue Eagles wanted it bad. In an exciting third game, Ateneo defeated the La Salle shuttlers, 21-19, to advance to the Finals of Season 74.

In the afternoon, the Lady Eagles also swept the FEU Lady Shuttlers much to the delight of the whole Ateneo contingent.

Team Captain Lisa Encarnacion started things off for Ateneo. After losing the first game, 9-21, she won the second game, 21-14, to force what would be one of the most heart stopping matches in Season 74. Encarnacion, with a 25-23 victory, gave Ateneo a 1 match lead over the Lady Tamaraws.

Rookie Gelita Castilo easily crushed Katherine Mayono, 21-10, 21-8, in the second singles game for a 2-0 lead for the Lady Eagles.

Castilo returned in the next match and teamed up with Dia Magno to defeat the Tamaraws duo of Katherine Mayono and Jennifer Cayetano. The games were close but in the end the Lady Eagles prevailed, 21-19, 21-18, and Ateneo got the first seat in the Finals.

The Blue Eagles will be facing National University while the Lady Eagles will go up against University of the East in the Badminton Finals of UAAP Season 74. The matches will be held on September 20, Tuesday, at the Rizal Memorial Badminton Hall.

Congratulations, Blue & Lady Eagles! ONE BIG FIGHT!