Games today:

(Filoil EcoOil Centre)

9 a.m. — UP vs NU (m)

11 a.m. — UP vs NU (w)

3 p.m. — UE vs FEU (m)

5 p.m. — UE vs FEU (w)

Defending champion National University (NU) will put its unbeaten streak on the line against the University of the Philippines (UP) in the second round of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 87 Women’s Volleyball Tournament on Wednesday at the Filoil EcoOil Centre in San Juan.

NU, currently at 8-0, remains unchallenged this season, spearheaded by team captain Bella Belen and star spiker Alyssa Solomon, who recently withdrew from the KOVO Draft to stay focused in their UAAP campaign.

The Lady Bulldogs opened the second round with a statement victory over Season 85 championship rival De La Salle University, securing a straight-sets 25-19, 22-25, 25-20, 25-18 win. Their dominance continues to mark them as the team to beat.

NU head coach Sherwin Meneses credited their composure as a key factor in their success, stressing that no major adjustments were needed.

“It’s all about maintaining our composure at all times — whether we are trailing, tied, or leading,” he said, acknowledging the increasing level of competition.

“No match is easy now, as every team is improving. We just have to be prepared for any situation.”

Solomon echoed her coach’s sentiments, emphasizing the importance of focus and discipline for their upcoming matches.

“For our part, we can’t afford to be complacent, especially since every team is chasing us. We’ll immediately work on our lapses (for our next game) — it’s all about mindset for us,” she said.

Meanwhile, UP is eager to bounce back and rediscover its winning form.

The Fighting Maroons, currently in a three-way tie for fifth place with Adamson University and Ateneo de Manila University at 3-5, will rely on Joan Monares, American middle blocker Kassandra Doering, and Kianne Olango’s dominant plays to challenge NU.

Far Eastern University (FEU) looks to extend its winning streak when it faces the winless University of the East (UE) at 5 p.m.

The Lady Tamaraws (5-3) are coming off a four-set triumph over the University of Santo Tomas (UST) last Sunday, securing a 25-22, 26-24, 17-25, 26-24 victory. This win completed their season sweep of the Golden Tigresses and reinforced their standing in the tournament.

FEU is now tied with UST and La Salle at 5-3.

The Lady Tamaraws will ride on the momentum with key players Congolese opposite spiker Faida Bakanke, Jazlyn Ellarina and Gerzel Petallo leading the charge.

“You know, UE is really inspiring, even though they only have an 11-woman roster. I want to play with them because I want to be in that position, too, since the pride is different,” FEU head coach Tina Salak said.

“For us, at our level, we have a complete lineup with no excuses to justify the game’s result. There’s no excuse whether we win or lose, but we have to execute the game plan.”

“Despite being winless, they (the Lady Warriors) showed incredible effort in every game. They’re an inspiring team to compete against. As for our game plan, it’s all about staying focused on what we want to achieve in the second round. Let’s take it one step at a time — second round first, before thinking about the Final Four,” she said.

‘No match is easy now, as every team is improving. We just have to be prepared for any situation.’

On the other hand, UE (0-8) is eager to secure its first win of the season.

The Lady Warriors will rely on Khy Cepada, Van Bangayan, and Riza Nogales to push for a breakthrough victory against FEU.

In the men’s division, NU aims to recover from a tough loss against La Salle when it takes on UP at 9 a.m.

The defending champions saw their four-game winning streak come to an end, dropping to second place with a 6-2 record.

Meanwhile, UP at 2-6 looks to return to the win column against NU.

With both teams coming off losses, they will be determined to secure their first victory in the second round of the tournament.