LA SALLE and Ateneo, two teams which struggled in the UAAP women’s volleyball tournament this season, collide in the rivalry match while defending champion National University tries to inch closer in sweeping the first round as it tangles with Adamson today at the Mall of Asia Arena.

The Lady Spikers eye to extend their domination against the Blue Eagles to 15 matches and gain a piece of third place at 3 p.m.

It will be a showdown between the present and the future, as the Bella Belen-powered Lady Bulldogs put their undefeated streak on the line against the Shai Nitura-led Lady Falcons at 1 p.m.

NU remains as the lone unbeaten team with a 5-0 record while University of Santo Tomas is not far behind at 5-1.

La Salle, which is hoping to tie Far Eastern University at 4-2, has won its last 14 meetings against Ateneo dating back from May 2, 2017.

Assistant coach Noel Orcullo knows that the Lady Spikers cannot take the Blue Eagles for granted even they lost another key spiker in Sobe Buena to injury.

“Actually sa nakikita naman namin sa Ateneo talagang ang ganda ng improvement nila yun nga lang marami ring injuries sa kanila although pero nakikita naman natin yung tiyaga ng Ateneo sa baba, yung atake. Ang Ateneo hindi rin naman maliliit, ang tatangkad din ng Ateneo kaya talagang kayang kaya nila sumabay. May blocking ang Ateneo, may atake kaya kailangan talaga paghandaan,” said Orcullo.

The 1-4 Blue Eagles are slightly ahead in the spiking department, as they ranked fourth in the league over the Lady Spikers, who are in fifth.

Coach Sherwin Meneses, facing his alma mater he handled from 2012 to 2016 for the first time, stressed the need for his Lady Bulldogs to polish their game further as the elimination round nears mid-point.

” Every day naman naghahanap kami talaga ng maiimprove talaga namin every training talaga. Marami pa naman [improve] kasi syempre yung time na nasa NU ako talagang hindi pa ganung kahaba pero knowing naman yung NU meron naman talaga silang sariling talent, talagang hinahanap namin yung the best na magiimprove kami every training tsaka sa every game. I think marami pa (ma-improve),” said Meneses.

All eyes will be the match-up between the Belen, who led the Lady Bulldogs to two of the league’s last three titles, and Nitura, a former high school girls MVP who hopes to bring the Lady Falcons back as one of the top teams.

“Rookie pa lang siya, so I think di naman niya kailangan ipressure yung sarili niya. Bata pa siya at first time niya sa UAAP collegiate. Marami pa siyang pwedeng matutunan sa UAAP kasi magkaibang-magkaiba yung college sa high school, ang laki ng difference,” said Belen.

“Sa collegiate lahat ng teams palaban, lalo na yung crowds sumasabay, kasama yun na palaban. Wag niya lang masyado ipressure yung sarili niya. Volleyball is a team effort naman, so I think yung Adamson malaki naman yung capability nila as a team kasi malakas silang team. Yun lang, wag siyang mapressure sa sarili niya. Don’t be to be harsh on herself,” the 2022 Rookie-MVP winner added.

The Lady Falcons hold a 2-3 record with a young roster behind Nitura, who is second in scoring behind ace Tigress Angge Poyos.

In the men’s division, NU tries to solidify its hold of the No. 2 spot against Adamson at 9 a.m., followed by the 11 a.m. clash between La Salle and Ateneo.

Coach Dante Alinsunurin is looking forward for his Bulldogs, sporting a 4-1 mark, to keep on going despite the rough ride in their bid for a fifth straight title.

“Yung kumpyansa namin sa loob pa talaga. Sobrang hindi pa namin mafigure out kung ano pa ang dapat namin gawin sa season na ito kasi pumunta kami dito as defending champion, pero dahil sa pagkatalo namin sa FEU, bumaba morale namin,” said Alinsunurin.

“Sabi ko nga, unti-unti, ttrabahuin namin mula simula and unti-unti sa bawat game at training, kumuha tayo ng respeto nila kasi kung wala sila respeto sa atin, lalabanan talaga nila tayo.

Trabahuin talaga namin every time sa training na ma-dominate namin and gumanda pa galaw namin,” he added.

The rivalry match between the Green Spikers and the Blue Eagles has a lot of meaning for Jose Roque, especially with the winner remaining in the top four range. Both teams are level in fourth place at 3-2.

“Panindigan namin yung pride namin as a LaSallian na hindi kami magpapatalo. Sabi ko nga sa kanila, itong last games namin sa first round, we have to do something na talagang we’ll make sure na we have to fight all the way until the end,” said Roque.

AUTHOR PROFILE

Theodore P. Jurado