NU Bulldogs, Wildcats clash for QF berth

MANILA, Philippines - National U and National College of Business and Arts face off today in what promises to be a slam-bang duel of unbeaten teams with a quarterfinal berth at stake in Group A of the Spikers’ Turf Season 1-Collegiate Conference at The Arena in San Juan City.

Both are coming into their 3 p.m. match oozing with confidence with the Bulldogs sweeping the Mapua Cardinals and the UE Warriors and the Wildcats posting a pair of 3-1 romps over the FEU Tams and the Cardinals.

Open spikers Fauzi Ismail and Bryan Bagunas, Madzlan Gampong, Ricky Marcos, liberos Francis Saura and Kim Malabunga and setter Vincent Mangulabnan gear up for a tough duel against NCBA’s Paul Domingo, Daryl Valenzuela, Gefford Escobido and playmaker Jumbo Lee Nidua.

What makes the Wildcats a tough contender is the presence of guest players Edwin Tolentino and Reyson Fuentes, whose power game and experience have spiked the team’s drive in the league presented by PLDT Home Ultera.

Tolentino has normed 14 hits in the first two games while Fuentes averaged 11 markers while leading the team in blocks with eight.

The winner will join Emilio Aguinaldo College in the quarters after the Generals swooped down on the Cardinals in three to clinch their third straight win in the first-ever men’s inter-collegiate league backed by Mikasa last Monday.

Meanwhile, St. Benilde and La Salle try to bolster their own campaign in Group B as they shoot for their second win in three games against winless Arellano and La Salle-Dasmariñas, respectively.

Games can be viewed live via streaming on www.vleague.ph.

The Blazers, who routed La Salle-Dasma in three but bowed to UP Diliman, take on the Chiefs, who lost to the Maroons and Archers, at 1 p.m. while the Taft-based La Salle tangle with their Cavite-based counterparts at 5 p.m.

La Salle-Taft bounced back from a 1-3 loss to Ateneo with a sweep of Arellano while the La Salle-Dasma side also lost to Ateneo in three.

Meanwhile, the FEU-UE game last Monday will be shown today starting at 3:30 p.m. Games in the Monday-Wednesday tournament are aired on a delayed basis from Monday to Friday while Saturday telecast begins at 9:15 p.m., according to the organizing Sports Vision.