Games today:
(Smart Araneta Coliseum)
9 a.m. — UST vs Ateneo (m)
11 a.m. — La Salle vs UP (m)
1 p.m. — UST vs Ateneo (w)
3 p.m. — La Salle vs UP (w)
De La Salle University has yet to drop a set in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 88 women’s volleyball tournament after two outings.
But Lady Spikers assistant coach Noel Orcullo reminds his wards that rolling past title contenders Far Eastern University and University of Santo Tomas is no assurance they’ll plow through easily against a team that dealt them a major upset last year.
La Salle braces for war when it faces a confident, unbeaten University of the Philippines (UP) in a battle for a share of the lead today at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Opening serve is at 3 p.m. with the winner moving up to join undefeated three-peat-seeking National University on top of the standings.
Meanwhile, redemption is on the minds of the University of Santo Tomas (UST) and Ateneo de Manila University in their 1 p.m. clash for a taste of their first win after dropping their first two starts.
The Lady Spikers seemed to have solved their setter woes with the arrival of playmaker Eshana Nunag.
Averaging 14 excellent sets per game, the rookie has stabilized La Salle’s attacking pattern that effectively utilized veterans in skipper Shevana Laput and Angel Canino, who are logging in norms of 22 and 14 points, respectively, per outing.
The Season 87 runner-up made quick work of Far Eastern University, 25-19, 25-14, 27-25, to open its campaign before fending off the Golden Tigresses, 25-14, 25-15, 26-24, last Sunday.
But the Fighting Maroons are no easy kill, proven by how they surprised the Lady Spikers in the second round of the previous tournament.
“We are preparing well against them. Just like we always say, there’s no easy opponent in this UAAP. You’ll have to work for every win. You have to put on the effort and be really determined to win,” Orcullo said.
“After UST, we are now looking forward to facing UP. One game at a time. Be prepared always against the team that’s in front of us.”
The Fighting Maroons, on the other hand, carry the momentum of their four-set win over University of the East and an amazing reverse sweep of the Blue Eagles, 17-25, 19-25, 25-22, 25-23, 16-14, last Sunday, which ended their 11-game losing skid to their Katipunan neighbors.
UP, under first-year coach Fabio Menta, eyes a third straight win after recording its first back-to-back victories in four years.