Venue: Daet Provincial Sports Complex – Court 3
Event: Girls' Singles Badminton – First Round
Format: Best of 3 sets, race to 21 points, win by 2
The tension was thick in the air. Alona stood at the service line, eyes narrowed at her first opponent—Bela Mirasol from Sipocot High.
Coach Cely leaned in before the match began. "Feel her tempo first. Then control it. Don't go all out in Set 1."
Alona nodded.
From the sidelines, Nina was already yelling.
"Let's goooo, Alona! Make her wish she brought knee pads!"
"Quiet, Nina," Coach Cely hissed. "You're not the one playing."
"I could be!"
"You couldn't."
Set 1: Opening Gambits
The umpire called out. "Love all—play!"
Alona served low and fast. Bela returned it with a heavy push to the backline. The first rally stretched out—each girl testing the other's range. Footwork, timing, feints.
Then—Alona snapped her wrist and dropped a net shot.
Bela dove. Too late.
1–0.
The rallies went long. Alona kept her smashes light, her clears high, moving Bela side to side, forcing her to burn stamina.
At the mid-set interval, Alona led 11–8.
Coach Cely simply said, "Switch speeds. Now."
So Alona did.
She came out of the break with faster drives and sudden smashes. Bela cracked under pressure, misfiring three times in a row.
Set 1 Final: 21–14, Alona.
Set 2: The Shift
Bela came out in Set 2 aggressive. Her returns were lower, her defense tighter, and she pounced on every hesitation. Alona faltered slightly, her rhythm shaken.
Score: 6–11 at interval.
Coach Cely folded her arms. "She's reading your drops. Mix it up."
Alona returned with renewed focus, but Bela stayed ahead. Every point was hard-earned.
Set 2 Final: 17–21, Bela.
The match was tied, 1–1.
From the bleachers, Nina hissed, "Oooh, this is anime levels of comeback."
Alona closed her eyes, exhaled slowly. One set. That's all she needed.
Set 3: Final Breath, Final Push
The third set was war.
Rally after rally broke the 20-stroke mark. Alona's shirt clung to her back with sweat. Bela grunted with each shot, going for brute force.
At 14–14, Alona switched to deceptive footwork—feinting smashes and flicking drop shots instead. Bela overcommitted, chasing shadows.
At 19–17, Alona blinked sweat from her eyes. Two more points.
Serve. Smash. Net roll. Drive.
20–17.
Match point.
She feinted a drive, wrist-twisting mid-swing—crosscourt net drop.
Bela dove—
Net.
Set 3 Final: 21–17, Alona.
Match: 2–1 victory for Gubat Coastal.
Post-Match Moments
Coach Cely offered her a cool towel and a rare smile. "You listened. You adjusted. That's a champion in the making."
From the bleachers, Nina whooped. "One down, a region to go!"
Across the complex, Clarisse Valerio from Iriga Valley decimated her own opponent in straight sets—21–5, 21–3. She didn't even look winded.
Alona stared, her chest still heaving.
Nina leaned over. "You'll face her eventually."
"I know."
"You nervous?"
Alona shook her head, fierce. "Excited."