Lady Bulldogs target Shakey’s Super League five-peat

MANILA, Philippines — Title defense is the name of the game anew for the National University Lady Bulldogs, as they aim to complete a five-peat in the Shakey’s Super League Unity Cup.

NU has ruled the past four editions of SSL Unity Cup, and they could shoot for a fifth straight championship as the preseason tournament opens on September 25. 

“Siguro, kung ano po yung gusto namin i-aim ngayon na five-peat champion. Siguro, magsisimula lahat sa training namin, kung ano yung ginagalaw namin, kung paano namin i-polish yung galaw namin sa training,” NU’s Arah Panique said. 

“So, sa game namin this Shakey’s, papakita lang namin kung ano talaga yung kaya namin and improve sa lahat na kaya namin,” she added. 

A total of 17 teams, both from the UAAP and the NCAA, will be battling it out for glory.

They will be divided into four pools, with NU bunched with San Beda University, Arellano University, University of Perpetual Help and NCAA champion Letran in Pool A.

Newly crowned SSL National Invitationals champion and last year’s Unity Cup runner-up University of Santo Tomas, College of Saint Benilde, Jose Rizal University and Mapua University are placed in Pool B, while Pool C is composed of Far Eastern University, Ateneo De Manila University, Emilio Aguinaldo College and San Sebastian College-Recoletos. 

Adamson University, University of the Philippines, Lyceum University of the Philippines and University of the East, which makes a comeback after skipping last year’s edition, are in Pool D.

But more than glory, cash prize will also be within reach. 

The champion will bag P1 million, while the runner-up will be given P600,000. The third-place squad will pocket P300,000.

Individual award winners get P10,000 each while the tournament Most Valuable Player will be given P30,000 cash.     

“After our successful staging of the Shakey’s Girls Volleyball Invitational League and the National Invitationals to start the season, of course, we want this year’s Unity Cup to be bigger, thrilling, and explosive,” said Ian Laurel, president and chairman of SSL organizer Athletic Events and Sports Management Inc.