Shakey's V-League seventh season unwraps today

MANILA, Philippines - UST and Ateneo try to live up to the pre-season hype as they open their respective bids in the seventh season of the Shakey’s V-League against separate rivals today at The Arena in San Juan.

The Tigresses, the defending champions, and the Lady Eagles, one of the title contenders, need no less than a pair of victories over the Far Eastern U Lady Tams and the St. Benilde Lady Blazers, respectively, to get their respective title bids going.

That’s because every game counts in the single round-robin elims where the 10 teams are divided into two groups with the top four squads from each side advancing to the quarterfinals. The top eight teams will again be divided into two groups and play a single round with the top two teams in each side clashing in a pair of crossover semis. Winners will then clash for the crown in another best-of-three affair.

A simple opening rites at 1 p.m. will usher in the first conference of the seventh season of the league, put up by Sports Vision in partnership with Shakey’s Pizza in 2004 to revive women’s volleyball and provide a venue for the country’s top and rising stars.

Playdates are set on Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays starting at 2 p.m. Games will be shown on a delayed basis the following playdate on NBN 4 although matches can be viewed live on webcast at www.v-league.ph.

Ateneo, reinforced by Thai import Keawbundit Sontaya and former ace Charo Soriano, squares off with St. Benilde at 2 p.m. while UST, led by MVP Aiza Maizo and the talented Maru Banaticla, tests FEU’s mettle at 4 p.m.

San Sebastian, a former champion, debuts on Tuesday against newcomer Southwestern U in an explosive showdown of two of the title favorites while Adamson, another pre-tournament pick, opens its campaign against Lyceum.

Visayan squads University of St. La Salle and former three-time CESAFI champion Univ. of San Jose-Recoletos are the two other teams in the tournament backed by Accel, Mikasa and Mighty Bond.

But focus will be on the Tigresses, who swept last year’s twin titles.

Mary Jean Balse, a former MVP who helped power UST to its first three championships before the team took a leave of absence in the 2008 first conference, is back and is expected to combine with Maizo, Banaticla, Rhea Dimaculangan, Ange Tabaquero and Maika Ortiz.

Also in the UST fold are Judy Caballero, Hanna Mance and Jane Gonzales, members of the squad that swept Adamson in the best-of-three finals last December.

Despite their solid lineup, UST coach Shaq delos Santos remains wary of their title chances, citing lack of practice due to the final exams of his players weeks leading to the event. He also said all the other teams have prepared hard for the tournament, thus making it a wide-open race.

The Lady Tams, who turned in a best-place finish of third in the last conference, will lean on mainstays Shaira Gonzalez, Anne Taganas, Numay Vivas, April Jose and Rose Cabanag in their attempt to surprise the Tigresses and post an early upset in the tournament.

Ateneo, meanwhile, is confident of its chances with Dzi Gervacio, Fille Cainglet, Gretchen Ho and Jem Ferrer joining Sontaya and Soriano in the starting unit and support to come from Bea Pascual, Kara Acevedo, Stephanie Gabriel, Misha Quimpo, Mona Bagatsing and Tash Faustino.

The Lady Eagles, who finished runner-up to Adamson in the 2008 first conference, are actually coming off an impressive third place finish in the last UAAP tournament and should contend not just for a Final Four berth but for the crown with Sontaya and Soriano at the helm.

But although they are heavily favored over St. Benilde, the Lady Blazers, like the Lady Tams, also aim for a big upset behind Katty Kwan, Ren Agero, Thea Africa, Zhar Velez, Rossan Fajardo and top scorer Giza Yumang.