A paddler from the Accountancy Griffins focuses on her shot. Photo by Christine Joice Cudis

December 7, 2014 – Vera Octaviano of the Business and Management Vipers and Jennie Abella and Hannah Bonilla of the Accountancy Griffins were named as the champions of the Table Tennis Singles and Doubles competitions for the 2014 Palarong Atenista held at the Ateneo Annex.

Despite the hot temperature inside the room, players from the different divisions put their best foot forward as they fought for a place in the semi-finals and hopefully, in the championships. However, it was Vera Octaviano of the Business and Management Vipers and Kaytelle Lasaca of the Accountancy Griffins that beat out all other opponents in the semi-finals, giving them a chance to battle it out for the championship in the Women’s Table Tennis Singles competition.

The first set started out as a nail-biter as they both tried to outscore each other, but after the first half of the first set, Octaviano took control and won the set convincingly with the score of 11-7.

In the second set, Lasaca was outpaced by Octaviano as the latter dominated the second set with the score of 11-4.

Though Lasaca managed to give everything she had, it was not enough to defeat Octaviano as the latter won the third set with a small margin of 11-8, making her the champion for the women’s table tennis singles.

For the Doubles competition, Jennie Abella and Hannah Bonilla of the Accountancy Griffins and Gwen Caubang and Kate Madrazo of the Humanities and Letters Wolves faced off in the championship game as they defeated their opponents in the semi-finals.

In the first set of the championship game, Abella and Bonilla were quick on their feet to secure the first set win with the score of 11-6.

The second set was no different from the first one. Caubang and Madrazo tried to catch up, but Abella and Bonilla overpowered them, resulting to a second win with the score of 11-7.

As the third set kicked off, tension filled the room. Both teams were trying hard to outscore each other, whipping their paddles fiercely and moving in sync with their partners. However, it was Abella and Bonilla that won the intense third set with the score of 14-12, earning them the championship for the Women’s Table Tennis Doubles competition.

Results:
Singles

Champion: Business and Management Vipers
1st runner-up: Accountancy Griffins
2nd runner-up: School of Engineering and Architecture Tigers
3rd runner-up: Computer Studies Chameleons

Doubles

Champion: Accountancy Griffins
1st runner-up: Humanities and Letters Wolves
2nd runner-up: Social Sciences Dragons
3rd runner-up: Business and Management Vipers