By MARK REY MONTEJO
Games Wednesday
(Smart Araneta Coliseum)
9 a.m. – UE vs FEU (men’s)
11 a.m. – NU vs UP (men’s)
1 p.m. – UE vs FEU (women’s)
3 p.m. – NU vs UP (women’s)
It’s a showdown between two of the finest Cebuana hitters as Vange Alinsug’s National University and Niña Ytang’s University of the Philippines clash to open the second round of the UAAP UAAP Season 88 women’s volleyball tournament at the Smart Araneta Coliseum Wednesday, March 18.
Eager to recover from their 25-21, 25-19, 19-25, 25-17 loss to the De La Salle Lady Spikers, the reigning champion Lady Bulldogs (5-2) try to bounce back and beat the Casiey Dongallo-less Fighting Maroons (4-3), who handed them a five-set defeat last month.
The match is set at 3 p.m., with the encounter between Far Eastern University (4-3) and University of the East (0-7) serving as an appetizer at 1 p.m.
Though the Bulldogs offered no excuses with their first-round loss to the Maroons, it will be a different look this time with Sam Cantada now ready to avenge NU’s setback after she exited that match in the crucial third set due to a shin injury.
UP, on the other hand, will miss the services of Dongallo, who suffered a season-ending left knee injury.
Attention should be on Cebu’s Alinsug and Ytang, who will surely put everything on the table to keep track of their Final Four bids.
Reinforcing Alinsug are Cantada, Arah Panique, Alexa Mata, Chams Maaya, Lams Lamina and Shaira Jardio against a strong-willed UP side which now relies on Ytang, Jelai Gajero, Joan Monares, Bienne Bansil, and Kianne Olango.
A win for NU could solidify its hold of the No. 2 spot, while a victory for UP would break a three-way logjam with FEU and Adamson in the standings.
Coming off a three-set loss to UST last weekend, FEU aims to rediscover its winning ways with Jaz Ellarina, Faida Bakanke, Aly Devosora, Lovely Lopez, Cla Loresco, and, hopefully, Gerz Petallo.
Meanwhile in men’s action, the unscathed FEU crew goes for its eighth consecutive win against UE (1-6) at 9 a.m., while the four-peat seeking Bulldogs (5-2) attempt to get back on win track when they meet the Maroons (2-5) at 11 a.m.
