Four teams vie for a share of the early lead Wednesday in the UAAP Season 86 women’s volleyball tournament at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Defending champion De La Salle and Far Eastern University collide in the 2 p.m. curtain raiser, while young talent-laden squads University of the East and University of Santo Tomas lock horns at 4 p.m.
In the men’s division, the Golden Spikers shoot for a second straight victory as they play the Red Warriors at 12 noon.
The Tamaraws and the Green Spikers collide in a rematch of last season’s step-ladder duel at 10 a.m., with both squads eyeing win No. 2.
De La Salle proved that it could win despite losing Jolina dela Cruz, Mars Alba, Fifi Sharma, and libero Justine Jazareno.
Behind holdovers in Angel Canino, Julia Coronel, Thea Gagate, Em Povido, and Lyka de Leon, the 12-time winners dominated Adamson University in straight sets, giving coach Ramil de Jesus his 300th victory.
Aiming for back-to-back UAAP titles, there is still room for improvement for the Lady Spikers, who have the tallest roster in the league.
“Nakikita ko kailangan pa nila mas mag-jell,” De Jesus said. “Lalo na yung setter, napakahirap palitan ng setter last year. Then yung libero, kasi kung hindi stable yung pasa ng libero mahihirapan. Kailangan namin mag-adjust ng todo todo and iyun yung iwo-workout namin.”
FEU, meanwhile, is facing its first major test under coach Manolo Refugia.
Coming off a straight set romp of University of the Philippines, Refugia remains grounded despite getting a win in his debut.
“Itong first game, magiging basehan namin. Parang buwelo papunta sa mga susunod pang games. So nate-test yung chemistry namin, yung pinag-trainingan namin ng ilang buwan,” Refugia said.
“‘Yung relationship namin ng girls, from coaches to players, nate-test naman dito sa UAAP,” he added.
Gerzel Petallo, Chenie Tagaod, Jean Asis, and Tin Ubaldo were solid in the opener, as the Lady Tamaraws hope that Congo’s Faida Bakanke will have a better effort after debuting with six points.
UST rookie Angeline Poyos, who seemed not satisfied in her 16-point debut in a stunning straight-set romp National University, knows that UE, with newbie Casiey Dongallo drilling in 27 points to end a 21-match losing streak against Ateneo on opening day, is no pushovers.
“Same din sa amin na maraming rookies din sa kanila. Masasabi ko sa kanila, magagaling, and nandoon yung skills. Magkakatalo na lang talaga sa tibay ng loob at tibay ng dibdib,” said Poyos, who also matched fellow rookie Margaret Banagua’s three blocks.
The Lady Warriors, who watched the Tigresses’ victory last Sunday, are taking things step by step to turn the Recto-based program from being perennial also-rans to Final Four contenders.
“We will just do our best throughout this season. Our goal for this season is want to, like i-angat kung nasaan man ang UE before. Kasi we lost key players like Ja (Lana),” said Dongallo.
“Sabi ni Doc (Obet Vital, assistant coach), it will take time. Unti-untiin lang yung goal namin. This win po (against the Blue Eagles) isa po ito sa goal namin and we are hoping na next time, we will still do our best po,” the California Academy product added.