After an intense two-day battle with long time school rival ADMU, the Lady Shuttlers proved that setbacks can motivate people to even greater achievements. While Ateneo was able to get the better of La Salle yesterday, the Green-and-White prevailed against the Lady Eagles in a five-game battle yesterday at the Rizal Memorial Badminton Courts. With the win, the Lady Shuttlers earned themselves a meeting with UP in the finals.
Plot twist
Similar to the first day of the semifinals, day two started out rough with DLSU’s Iyah Sevilla succumbing to ADMU’s Bianca Carlos in two games. Lady Shuttler Monica Rivera was, yet again, lined-up for the second singles match against Cassie Lim. For Rivera, she garnered the first win for La Salle after three games of play, with a final score of 21-16 in the third set.
Next, Nicole Albo and Alyssa Leonardo paired up in match three against Malibiran and De Vera in the first doubles match of the second day. The Lady Shuttlers would win this one, 21-13, 21-16, to take the 2-1 lead over ADMU. In the fourth match, Lady Eagles Lunod and Carlos evened out the standing as they defeated Tercias and Sevilla, 21-9, 17-21, 21-12.
Mirroring the previous day of play, the winning team was to be decided by the last singles match. For the Lady Shuttlers, it was down to Albo and for the Lady Eagles it was Malibiran. Fortunately for the Green and White, DLSU’s fate was different from the previous day’s as Albo took the win over her opponent, 21-12, 21-13. That win propelled celebration as it marked a return trip to the finals for the Lady Shuttlers.
Seeing the finish line
“It was really fun, despite that we lost yesterday, we just thought that there’s still a new day and we still have one more chance,” Albo describes the semifinal round. Prior to the second day of the semifinals, Coach Owen Lopez noted that “It is anyone’s game,” and that the girls needed to be aggressive in order to overcome the loss they got from the previous day.
The Lady Shuttlers fight for the championship later today, against the UP Lady Maroons.
