AdU duels FEU in V-League opener

With UST and La Salle back in the fold, Adamson faces an uphill battle in its bid for a second straight championship in the Shakey’s V-League which kicks off the second conference of its fifth season at The Arena in San Juan City today.

The Lady Falcons lorded it over the field, that included two provincial guest teams, in the elims and the semis then swept the Ateneo Lady Eagles in the best-of-three finals last June to capture the first conference crown after a couple of runner-up finishes in other tournaments.

But with the Lady Archers and the Tigresses back in harness after taking a leave last conference, the Lady Falcons will have their hands full as they try to make it back-to-back in the tournament sponsored by Shakey’s Pizza.

The Lady Falcons, however, are just as ready as the Tigresses and the Lady Archers along with the five other teams, making the chase for the championship a wide open one.

Adamson tries to open its bid on a positive note as it takes on Far Eastern U in the 4 p.m. main game of a twinbill which also features the UST-St. Benilde matchup at 2 p.m.

For updates and results, visit the tournament website at www.v-league.ph.

Sports Vision chair Moying Martelino said the games will be telecast everyday on a delayed basis over NBN-4, with replays to be shown on both Viva Prime Channel on Destiny Cable and Makisig Channel on Sky Cable.

The Falcons will parade guest player Mitchiko Castañeda and former mainstay Janet Serafica along with mainstays Angela Benting, Jill Gustilo, Lizlee Ann Gata and Michelle Segodine against FEU’s Rachel Ann Daquis, Rose Ann Taganas, Shaira Gonzalez, Cherry May Vivas, alumna Ma. Theresa Iratay and guest player Joan Bunag.

While the Adamson-FEU matchup is a tossup, UST, bannered by former stalwart Venus Bernal and guest player Mary Jean Balse, is slightly favored to prevail over St. Benilde.

The Tigresses, winner of three titles like the Lady Archers, will also lean on the likes of Maika Ortiz, Hannah Mance, Aiza Mazo and Patricia Tan as they try to stamp their class early in the tournament organized by Sports Vision.

St. Benilde will be led by former player Raquel Ordonez but the Lady Blazers are setting out without a reinforcement and will rely on the likes of Joy Mulingtapang, Zharmaine Velez, Katty Kwan, Giza Yumang, Kara Agero, Girly Quemada, Katrina Maranan, Cindy Velasquez, Althea Africa, Janet Lim and Zarah Lasac in their bid to topple the España-based tossers.

The tournament is backed by Active White skin whitening products, Mikasa and Accel.