Fancied Tigresses hunt for 5th win

Top-level volleyball action resumes today as unbeaten University of Santo Tomas and second-running La Salle take on separate rivals, hoping to sustain their respective romps in the Shakey’s V-League at the Lyceum Gym.

The in-form Tigresses clash with the resurgent Lyceum Lady Pirates at 4 p.m., seeking a repeat of their first-round win and raring to extend their run to five heading into the second round of eliminations of the event sponsored by Shakey’s and serving as the revival of women’s volleyball.

The UST-Lyceum match will be aired "live" over IBC-13, according to the organizing Sports Vision Management Group Inc. Admission is free.

Like the Tigresses, the Lady Archers are also on a roll, having swept their next three games after losing to the solo leaders on opening day.

Using its power at the net, UST trounced four-peat NCAA champion San Sebastian College in an emphatic 28-26, 25-22, 26-24, win last Tuesday, but will be facing a team which is also coming off a victory after three straight losses.

"We beat them in our first match but as the tournament progresses, they are improving and we need to play extra cautious against them," said UST coach August Sta. Maria referring to Lyceum, which notched its first win with a 25-21, 28-26, 25-14 victory over Far Eastern University Thursday.

Expected to spearhead UST’s attack are the dreaded power-hitting troika of Mary Jean Balse, a rookie transferee out of Davao, Joyce Pano and Venus Bernal, back in harness after a bout with flu.

La Salle leans on skipper Maureen Penetrante, Carissa Gotis, Desiree Hernandez, Ivory Ablig and looker Manila Santos, hero in the school’s recent win.