Fancied National University tries to zero in on a group sweep when it takes on San Juan Institute of Technology-Batangas in the 2024 Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) Under-18 Championship girls division Friday at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum in Manila.
Game time is at 11:30 a.m. with the Lady Bulldogs (3-0) also eyeing to secure the top seed in Pool B with a crucial win against the third-running Batangas bet (2-1).
In other games, Mary Hill College Lucena (1-0) and Gracel Christian College (1-2) jockey for playoff positions in Pool A at 10 a.m., while winless Canossa Academy-Lipa (0-3) and Colegio de Los Baños (1-2) seek to stay in contention in Pool B at 1 p.m.
Angatleta Sports-Orion, Bataan also aim to move a win shy from a Pool A sweep in the boys’ play as it clashes with the Philippine Christian University (2-1) in the main game at 5:30 p.m.
Before that are the key battles between the Golden Whiskers Club (0-2) and Canossa Academy-Lipa (1-2) in Pool A at 2:30 p.m. as well as Colegio de Los Baños (0-3) and Aguaveia Volleyball Club (0-2) in Pool B at 4 p.m. with major playoff implications on the line.
Only the Top 4 teams from each pool of both the men’s and women’s divisions will advance to the knockout quarterfinals featuring a regular best-of-five set play from the three-setter format in the ongoing group phase.
The semifinals and finals will also be played in a knockout format for the coveted title of the first youth tourney of the PNVF headed by President Ramon “Tats” Suzara.
NU and Bataan moved closer to that goal by smothering their respective foes last weekend.
NU drubbed La Salle-Lipa, 25-21, 25-16, while Bataan clobbered the Golden Whiskers Club, 25-16, 25-19 for their third straight win in as many matches to pace the race in their pool so far.