La Salle, UST title series on

It will be a question of power, timing and finesse as University of Santo Tomas and La Salle begin their best-of-three showdown for the 2005 Shakey’s V-League first conference crown before an expected full-house crowd at the Makati Coliseum today.

Set at 3 p.m., the title duel pits the champions of the first two conferences with the Tigresses topping the inaugural staging of this event sponsored by Shakey’s Pizza last year and the Lady Archers dominating the second.

That all the more makes this clash between college volleyball’s most dominant teams truly worth watching.

Admission is free.

"This is going to be an exciting series. It’s going to be real close," said UST coach August Sta. Maria, who split their four head-to-head matches with the Ramil de Jesus-mentored La Salle Lady Archers this conference.

Meanwhile, Ateneo and San Sebastian collide in their own best-of-three series for third place at 1 p.m. Game 2 is set on Thursday at the Rizal Coliseum while Game 3, if necessary, will be played on Saturday, also at Rizal Coliseum.

Expect Sta. Maria to rely on his vaunted frontline composed of the tall, long-limbed Roxanne Pimentel, last year’s first conference MVP Mary Jean Balse and the crisp-hitting Joyce Paño with the wiry Venus Bernal likely to man the front.

"This is a team game, everybody must step up because this is championship time," said the soft-spoken de Jesus, who will bank on the power-hitting troika of Michelle Carolino, skipper Maureen Penetrante and Desiree Hernandez.

The match will also put in focus two of the league’s top setters — UST’s Joan Botor-Carpio and La Salle’s Reiea Ferina Saet — who are both out to prove each other’s worth.

The bench is also expected to play a crucial role.

"Our strength is our defense," said Sta. Maria. "If we can play tough defense, especially at the net, we’ll have a stronger chance of beating them (La Salle)."

Truly, de Jesus, who will handle the national team seeing action in the 23rd Southeast Asian Games from Nov. 27-Dec. 5 in Bacolod City, needs to draw the best from his other players, particularly the ailing Concepcion Legaspi and the comely Manilla Santos.