Games today:
(Rizal Memorial Coliseum)
11 a.m. — NU vs UE
2 p.m. — UP vs FEU
5 p.m. — Saint Benilde vs La Salle
Three-peat-seeking National University guns for the last quarterfinals twice-to-beat advantage in Pool E in a crucial showdown against dangerous University of the East to close the 2024 Shakey’s Super League Collegiate Pre-season Championship second round today at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum.
Action begins at 11 a.m. followed by another all-important Pool F clash between unbeaten Far Eastern University and University of the Philippines.
Already assured of quarters bonus, Pool E leader and unbeaten De La Salle University seeks to complete a second-round sweep against College of Saint Benilde at 5 p.m.
But the spotlight remains on the NU-UE tussle with both having equal chances of securing an incentive.
The Lady Bulldogs look to ride the momentum of a morale-boosting, 25-11, 25-23, 25-13, sweep of the Lady Blazers last Sunday to finish in the top two of the round-robin stage heading into the quarters of the tournament backed by Shakey’s Pizza Parlor, GCash, Chery Tiggo, F2 Logistics, Peri-Peri Charcoal Chicken, Potato Corner, R and B Milk Tea and Summit Water.
“We’ll use our last win as an inspiration for our coming games. We hope to do better and improve our game,” NU middle blocker Alexa Mata said.
Bella Belen and Mata delivered the goods the last time out, scoring 11 and 10 points, respectively, as the Lady Bulldogs recovered from a sorry four-set loss to La Salle at the start of the second round that snapped their 28-game winning streak dating back from 2022.
NU’s win over Saint Benilde also gave La Salle, carrying a 2-0 slate, the first quarters bonus outright.
The Lady Warriors, on the other hand, will rely on the explosive duo of Jelai Gajero and Casiey Dongallo to bounce back from a four-set loss to the Lady Spikers last Saturday and secure a twice-to-beat advantage.
La Salle is eyeing to extend its winning run in the competition which has Smart Sports, PLDT Fibr, Mikasa, Asics, Rebel Sports, Eurotel, Victory Liner, Commission on Higher Education, Philippine Sports Commission and SM Tickets as technical partners to six.
The Lady Blazers are winless after two starts in the second round.
In Pool F, another win will secure the Lady Tamaraws (2-0) an incentive and hand the other quarters bonus to idle University of Santo Tomas (2-1).
FEU dominated Ateneo de Manila University, 25-18, 25-18, 25-19, last Sunday.
If the Fighting Maroons emerge victorious, forcing a three-way tie at 2-1, a tiebreaker will determine the top two teams in Pool F.
UP bowed to UST in straight sets last Saturday.