Blue Eagles sweep this weekend; Lady Eagles improve to 4-1

The Ateneo de Manila Women’s Badminton team was quick to recover from yesterday’s loss as they beat University of Sto. Tomas’ Golden Shuttlers 3-2. This win keeps them at second place with a 5-1 record.

Lisa Encarnacion started things off with a win against Elainne Vinluan in the first singles match. Encarnacion won both matches, 21-15, 21-11. Gelita Castilo was up next and went against UST’s Jenny Galang. Castilo started her first game with 7 straight points which dictated the tempo of the entire match. She won both games, 21-12, 21-14.

Carla Lizardo and Dia Magno teamed up again for the first doubles match against Chona Medina and Rochane Decatoria. UST’s dominating duo proved too much as they won the match in 2 games, 12-21, 15-21. Castilo and Michelle Roxas were looking to get the win when they went against Camille Yang and Pia Fabros of UST. The first game was close but Ateneo’s duo escaped with a 22-20 win. Their 2nd game didn’t come as close as they lead early on and never looked back with a 21-14 win. Their win gave Ateneo their 5th win in 6 rounds.

Carla Lizardo and Pia Fabros took the last singles match of the round. Both games were close but Fabros was able to win both games, 18-21, 20-22.

Earlier today, the Ateneo Men’s Badminton team swept neighbors University of the Philippines, 5-0. The win puts them at a 4-2 win-loss record.

Brothers Justin & Pawee Natividad beat their opponents in their respective singles matches, both in just two games. Justin Natividad defeated Kelvin Panganiban 21-19, 21-10, while Pawee easily beat Christian Crisostomo, 21-13, 21-17.

In first doubles match, Toby Gadi and Justin Natividad dropped their first game, 19-21, but they came back in the second game, 21-17, to extend the match to a third game and eventually win, 21-14. The second doubles match was easily won by Paolo Sunga and Pawee Natividad, 21-9, 21-13.

The last singles match, played by nationally ranked Gadi completed the sweep with a 21-5, 21-16 victory over Charlo Tengco.

The Lady Eagles will face National University while the Blue Eagles will go up against the University of Santo Tomas shuttlers in the final round of the UAAP Badminton Season on August 28, 2011, Sunday, at 1 PM in the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex Badminton Hall.

Written by Althea Lapus