The DLSU Green Shuttlers’ UAAP Season 88 Men’s Badminton bowed down to the formidable ADMU Blue Eagles, 3-0, in their Final Four match earlier today, October 21, at the Rizal Memorial Badminton Hall. The Green-and-White fought valiantly, but the top-seeded Blue Eagles proved to be too impressive and swept all matches to punch their ticket to the Finals.
In deep waters
Looking to secure a Finals berth with the ADMU Blue Eagles in their way, Miguel Cuarte stepped up to the rubber court against Ateneo’s co-captain Lydren Laborte to kick off the matches. Both sides went back and forth early on as they met at the net and traded points to bring the match to a 7-all deadlock. The Atenean’s aggressive returns began to bear fruit, overwhelming the Lasallian to spark a 3-0 run, 10-7. Despite Laborte’s offensive surge, Cuarte regained his composure, chipping away at the lead with smart placements to force the Blue Eagle’s shots out wide, 13-12. The Atenean held on to the lead throughout the set, but the Green-and-White’s representative stayed within striking distance. Laborte amped up his shot accuracy with well-placed shots to widen the gap, leaving the Lasallian unable to respond as the set concluded, 21-17.
Laborte, carrying over the momentum from the first set, began the set with a 5-0 surge. Both players engaged in a long rally, with Cuarte coming out on top to secure his first point, 5-1. Despite the short breather, the Lasallian continued to struggle, committing net touches and getting overwhelmed with the Katipunan-based side’s offense, 11-4. Cuarte began to find his rhythm by winning duels to cut the white shirt’s lead, 14-11. Despite Ateneo securing consecutive points, Cuarte fired back with swift answers to Laborte’s shots to ignite a 5-0 run of his own, trimming the deficit to two, 16-14. With the Lasallian fired up, Laborte quickly regained control, responding with a 4-0 counter run to put the ADMU at match point, 20-14. Despite an uphill battle, Cuarte remained steadfast with consecutive points, but Laborte’s swift attack on the line gave Ateneo the set, 21-16, and a 1-0 advantage.
Looking to turn the tide, DLSU deployed rookie Lovic Javier to take on JR Pandi. Pandi struck first blood and from there on, both players traded points as the Blue Eagles held onto a tight advantage, 8-7. The Atenean gradually took over as the rookie struggled to match his offensive precision as a surge swelled the lead to seven, 19-12. Despite consecutive shots, Pandi came out on top with a comfortable 21-14 scoreline. Banking on the first-set victory, the Blue Eagle continued to dictate the pace early in the second set, but Javier quickly settled in, narrowing the gap to 4-3. However, the Atenean forced the Green-and-White player to a net battle before unleashing a strong spike that the rookie could not return. Later on, Javier answered with a powerful shot of his own, seeking to shift the match’s trajectory, but Pandi held firm, maintained control, 13-10. The Lasallian rookie began to rack up points with consecutive shot success, but Pandi refused to back down as both players traded points, 16-13. The intense exchanges led to multiple rallies, with the Atenean ultimately gaining the upper hand to reach match point, 20-17. Pandi’s jump strike sealed the set and match, leaving La Salle with a steep mountain to climb, 2-0.
The Green Shuttlers falter
Facing a 2-0 team deficit, the Green-and-White pinned their hopes on the reliable tandem of Joshua Morada and Yuan Tan. The duo stepped onto the court against Lance Vargas and Arthur Salvado Jr. in the crucial doubles match. Both pairs exchanged fierce shots early on, keeping the score tight at 10-all. The Blue Eagles then gained the slight edge, orchestrating a powerful three-point run to take a 13-10 lead, capitalizing on forced errors by the Green Shuttlers.
Morada and Tan attempted to rally by utilizing quick reflexes and sharp defense, but the unbeaten Blue Eagles maintained their advantage. The Katipunan-based duad consistently pushed back the defense of the Taft-based players. Despite La Salle’s efforts to close the gap, the duo from Loyola Heights held firm, executing a final push that closed out the opening set, 21-17.
The Green Shuttlers showed immense resolve in the second frame, battling Vargas and Salvado point-for-point in an intense rally that knotted the score at 16-all. Desperate to extend the tie, the Lasallian duo utilized sharp drop shots and aggressive net play, momentarily pulling ahead, 18-17. Unfortunately for La Salle, the Blue Eagles responded with impeccable defense and a quick flurry of attacks. Securing the next four points, Ateneo shut the door on the Green Shuttlers, taking the second set, 21-18, and completing the 3-0 sweep that brought DLSU’s bid for a championship debut to a close.
Despite the loss, the Green Shuttlers overcame a major drought, securing their first Final Four appearance in six years. The Taft-based squad now shifts their focus to a Battle for Third matchup against the NU Bulldogs tomorrow, October 21, at the same venue.
