UE lady shuttlers snare UAAP crown

MANILA, Philippines - University of the East completed its amazing climb from the bottom to the top of the UAAP Season 74 women’s badminton tourney with a 3-2 victory over Ateneo in a nerve-wracking finale at the Rizal Memorial Badminton Hall yesterday.

Fatima Cruz, making full use of her 5’7 built to control the match, outclassed Lisa Denise Encarnacion, 21-15, 21-18, in the deciding third singles to propel UE to the women’s throne.

The Lady Warriors prevented a sweep of the badminton competitions by Ateneo, whose men’s team copped the crown behind Tobi Gadi’s MVP performance in a 3-1 disposal of National U hours earlier.

“We had a bad start this year but the players never gave up and continuously made the adjustment through the course of the tournament. When semis and finals came, their game’s already picked up,” said UE coach Rocky Magnaye.

UE yielded its first three assignments but clawed its way back to contention by sweeping its last four elims assignments. As fourth seed in the semis, UE defeated No. 1 La Salle twice via 3-2 scores to reach the championship round.

“I’m so proud of what we’ve achieved this year. (After that slow start) Who would have thought we would make it to the finals and win it?” said MVP Cruz, who eked out two clutch victories in the championship tie to cap her UAAP career on a high note.

Ateneo jumped the gun on UE on Gelita Castilo’s 21-18, 21-5 drubbing of Laurece Pamorada.

But Rochelle Andres evened things up with a 21-16, 14-21, 21-19 squeaker over Dia Nicole Magno after which Cruz teamed up with Kimverly Gatpolintan to thwart Karla Janina Lizardo and Michelle Eunice Roxas, 21-9, 21-13, as UE took a 2-1 lead.

Ateneo’s Castilo and Magno forged the deciding singles via a 22-20, 21-12 win over Pamorada and Andres.

Cramps and all, Gadi outlasted fellow national mainstay Philip Joper Escueta in the second singles, 24-22, 19-21, 21-17, then joined hands with Pawee Natividad in the second doubles to score a 21-18, 21-18 triumph over Aries delos Santos at Sonny Boy Montilla to clinch it for the Eagles.

MVP Gadi said it was redemption time for the Ateneo Blue Shuttlers after a sorry runner-up finish in 2010.

“Glad to win this one. Last year, we were expected to be champion but we fell short maybe because of the pressure,” he said.

Pawee Natividad provided the opening victory, a 21-17, 10-21, 21-12 conquest of delos Santos, that set the tone for Ateneo’s first title in seven years.

“We have waited for the past two or three years. We really stayed focused and we never stopped trying,” said Ateneo coach Kennie Asuncion, adjudged Coach of the Year.

Like women’s champ UE, the Blue Shuttlers was ranked fourth in the semis and had to beat top seed La Salle twice before reaching the finals.