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MANILA, Philippines – NU captured its seventh straight men’s title, while Ateneo claimed its third consecutive women’s crown as the UAAP Season 85 badminton action wrapped up at the Centro Atletico Badminton Center in Cubao on Sunday, November 13.
Led by Solomon Padiz Jr and Lanz Zafra, who shared the MVP honors, the Bulldogs bagged their eighth men’s championship overall with a 3-0 thrashing of the Blue Eagles in the finals.
Zafra put NU ahead early following a 21-13, 21-13 win over Lyrden Laborte in the first singles contest before Padiz and Julius Villabrille clinched the title after a 21-13, 21-10 victory over Bryan Bernardo and Charles Bagasbas in the first doubles match.
Mark Anthony Velasco earlier scored the second win for the Bulldogs as he edged Arthur Salvado, 21-18, 10-21, 21-14, in the second singles affair.
“I am very happy for my boys for the way they performed, the camaraderie which is stronger than before. Very satisfied with the performance,” NU head coach Jaime Llanes said.
Over in women’s play, Ateneo avenged its men’s finals heartbreaker with a gritty 3-2 win over UP behind Chanelle Lunod and Mika De Guzman, who were both named MVPs.
The graduating Lunod delivered for the Blue Eagles for the last time, hacking out a 22-20, 20-22, 21-18 triumph over fellow senior Lea Inlayo in the third and final singles match.
“We’re super happy because we know that this season will be difficult. We expected UP to be a strong team and we know it can go either way, so we’re super happy,” Ateneo head coach Kennie Asuncion-Robles as the school copped its sixth women’s badminton championship.
De Guzman gave the Blue Eagles a 1-0 lead after toppling Susmita Ramos, 21-7, 21-14, before the Fighting Maroons drew level thanks to Anthea Gonzalez, who picked up a 21-15, 21-15 victory over Jochelle Alvarez.
UP even seized the upper hand as Inlayo and Ramos defeated Lunod and De Guzman, 21-16, 21-11, but Ateneo forced a decider courtesy of Alvarez and Missy Cervantes eking out a 21-7, 17-21, 21-12 win over Gonzalez and Andrea Abalos in the second doubles match.
Lunod then proved why she is a winner of three straight MVP plums by denying Inlayo in the title clincher.
Meanwhile, the Maroons and the Bulldogs pocketed bronze in men’s and women’s play, respectively. – Rappler.com
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