By Lily O.Ramos
MANILA, (PNA)– Ateneo’s Blue Lady Eagles moved just one win away from clinching the UAAP Season 76 women’s badminton crown after a 3-1 victory over De La Salle in the finals opener over the weekend at the Jumpsmash Badminton Center in Quezon City.
Rookie Bianca Carlos and last season’s top rookie Jana de Vera clinched the tie for the Lady Eagles with a 21-16, 16-21, 21-18 win over the Lady Archers’ Angelic Ramos and Danica Bolos in the second doubles.
Unbeaten in eight matches, Ateneo could book a perfect season with another victory Wednesday in Game 2 slated at 1 p.m. in the same venue.
The Lady Eagles hold a tremendous thrice-to-beat incentive in the title round.
Patricia Malibiran drew first blood for the Lady Eagles with a 21-18, 21-19 victory over Danica San Ignacio in the opening singles, while Carlos routed Bolos, 21-8, 21-9, in the second singles.
De La Salle’s only win came in first doubles with Alyssa Leonardo and partner.
Reigning men’s titlist National University, meanwhile, dealt Ateneo its first loss of the tournament with a 3-2 squeaker in Game 1 of the men’s Finals.
Roslee Pedrosa delivered the clincher for the Bulldogs, hacking out a 17-21, 21-14, 21-19 win over the Eagles’ Clarence Filart in the deciding singles.
Ateneo, which also holds a thrice-to-beat incentive, seeks to rebound in Game 2 slated at 9 a.m. on Wednesday.res Montilla beating Malibiran and Magno, 21-12, 21-19.
NU took the early lead after reigning MVP Joper Escueta downed Patrick Natividad, 21-18, 21-19, in the first singles and Ateneo rebounded with Justin Natividad beating Aries delos Santos, 21-11, 21-14, in the second singles, and the duo of Patrick Natividad and Bryan Garrido defeating Pedrosa and Philip Francisco, 21-11, 21-11.
The Bulldogs forced a decider with Escueta and Delos Santos hammering out a 21-15, 21-19 triumph over Justin Natividad and Theodore Co in the second singles.