Games today (Sunday)
2 p.m. – UST vs Adamson
4 p.m. – FEU vs UP
The Shakey’s V-League Season 6 second conference kicks off today (Sunday, Oct. 11) with a promise of another exciting battle for women’s volley supremacy among eight schools that underwent tremendous buildup during the off-season.
UST opens its bid for a sweep of the season’s crown against Adamson, a team long due for recognition in the country’s premier league sponsored by Shakey’s Pizza. The Lady Falcons placed third in the first conference, losing steam after an impressive start and bowing to the San Sebastian Lady Stags for a crack at the crown.
But the San Marcelino-based squad thinks its time has come to contend for the championship with veterans Pau Soriano, Jill Gustilo, Angela Benting and Tatan Gata hoping to deliver the goods for the team starting with a win over UST.
With Aiza Maizo, Judy Caballero, Ange Tabaquero, Maika Ortiz and Rhea Dimaculangan still in the fold, the Tigresses, who beat the Lady Stags in the final to bag the first conference plum, remain a force to reckon with in the season-ending tournament, their bid boosted by the presence of guest player Rox Pimentel.
The two teams’ strengths will be on display right in the opening day as they clash in the 2 p.m. game while FEU and UP collide in the other match at 4 p.m. at The Arena in San Juan, both also hoping to come out strong and set each other’s title campaign in motion with a victory.
Like in the first conference, matches will have a live webcast on www.v-league.ph with NBN-4 to air the games on a delayed basis from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. daily . The matches will also be telecast on a delayed basis over the cable station Viva Prime over Destiny Cable.
The Lady Tams made good impression the last time out, making a first-ever Final Four appearance after a series of forgettable campaigns in the league organized by Sports Vision. Although they fell short of their bid against the Tigresses in their sudden death semis duel, the Lady Tams vow to better their previous effort on a team built around Rachel Daquis, Anne Taganas, Shai Gonzalez, Numay Vivas and April Jose.
But the Lady Maroons are no pushovers. With nothing to lose and everything to gain in only their second conference in the league backed by OraCare, Mighty Bond, Mikasa and Accel, the Diliman-based squad will go out there fighting behind Angeli Araneta, Denise Data, Joyce Palad, Cathy Barcelon, Eileen Quejas and guest player Merichelle Tagudin.
San Sebastian, to be led by Mari Pepito, Elaine Cruz, Bonsai Mirasol and Joy Benito, remains a title contender, so does Ateneo, which is out to atone for its early exit in the first conference behind Bea Pascual, Ave Paje, Kara Acevedo, Dzi Gervacio, Jem Ferrer, Fille Cainglet and guest alumna Charo Soriano.
Lyceum, headed by Igay Artates, Joy Cases, Joan dela Pena and Gelic Alcantara, is the other team raring to spring some surprises while St. Benilde will be the team to watch based on its current form in the NCAA.
The Lady Blazers stayed in the hunt for a berth in the finals after turning back the Lady Stags in their recent duel with Giza Yumang surging to emerge the top scorer in the league. Backing up Yumang are Kara Agero, Katty Kwan and Charmaine Velez.
The eight teams, with only one guest player this time, will play a single round robin elims with the top six advancing to the quarters.
The qualifiers, with their win-loss records in the elims, will slug it out in another round robin series with the top four advancing the Final Four. The No. 1 team plays No. 4 while the Nos. 2 and 3 squads slug it out in separate best-of-three series for berths in the championship, another best-of-three affair.
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