Unbeaten UST, SSC spikers clash today

Brace for top-notch volleyball action today as University of Santo Tomas and San Sebastian College clash in a duel of unbeaten teams in a game many believe could be a preview of the championship in the Shakey’s V-League at the Lyceum Gym.

Boasting of the league’s best spikers, the Tigresses shoot for their fourth straight victory but the Lady Stags will also go flat out for their third win in a row, making the 3 p.m. encounter, to be telecast "live" on IBC-13, truly a match to watch.

With its defense holding and its talented crew of power spikers living up to their hype, perennial UAAP champion UST smothered Letran College, 25-10, 25-14, 25-19, last Sunday to seize the solo lead in the compact six-team field. The Tigresses earlier swamped La Salle and Lyceum.

At the forefront of the Tigresses’s attack are Venus Bernal and Mary Jean Balse, a rookie transferee from Davao, while Joyce Pano, Anna Eliza Fulo and Co Yu Kang sisters Karen and Kate are expected to provide the needed backup.

But it will be an entirely different thing with San Sebastian.

"Isa ang San Sebastian sa mga malalakas na team na kasali dito," said UST coach August Sta. Maria. "Kaya importante talaga na maganda ang i-depensa namin sa net at gumana ang spikers namin."

Like the Tigresses, the Mendiola-based belles boast of some of the league’s top-notch hitters in the troika of Angela Descalsota, Jinni Mondejar and Jeanne Espolong, who have dishing out solid games that keyed the team’s victories over the Far Eastern U Lady Tams and the Lady Knights.

And SSC mentor Rogelio Gorayeb knows fully well that his wards’ chances hinge on his three prized players.

"We all know that my team’s strength emanates from the front, meaning, we have to keep on attacking them while defending the front well," Gorayeb, who steered the school to 15 of the last 18 NCAA volleyball titles.

Meanwhile, FEU and Lyceum collide in the other game at 5 p.m., both hoping to snap out of a pair winless runs in the inaugural staging of the event serving as the revival of women’s volleyball organized by the Sports Vision Management Group, Inc.

The Lady Tams have yet to pick up a victory in two starts while the host Lady Pirates are hoping to barge into the win column after first three tries.