Shakey's winner wears nat'l colors in int'l tourney

MANILA, Philippines - The winner in the upcoming Shakey’s V-League Open will represent the Philippines in the Shakey’s Invitational tentatively set in November, guaranteeing an all-out battle for the crown in the event firing off Sunday at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.

Six teams will slug it out in the six-week Open in what promises to be a slam-bang women’s volley action in the double round robin elims with the top four advancing to the crossover semis. The No. 1 team will then take on No. 4 and the Nos. 2 and 3 squads will dispute the other finals berth in a pair of best-of-three series. The finals will also be a best-of-three affair.

“We have plans to stage an Invitational tournament sometime in November and the Open champion will represent the Philippines in the event,” said Moying Martelino, chair of the organizing Sports Vision.

Philippine Army, which beat San Sebastian College to annex the inaugural Shakey’s V-League Open crown last year, heads the compact roster that includes Ateneo, Philippine Navy, Cagayan Province, Far Eastern U and Sandugo Sandals.

Meanwhile, the staging of the event at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex also gives fans easy access to the country’s premier women’s volley league. Games will also be aired on AKTV with live streaming at www.v-league.ph.

Sandugo, a team bannered by two Thai imports and handled by former Ateneo champion coach Roger Gorayeb, has been installed as the early favorite owing to its star-studded roster headed by former San Sebastian College resident import Jeng Bualee and Shakey’s V-League veteran Utaiwan Kaensing.

Sandugo also boasts of a talent-laden crew composed of the league’s former MVPs, including Nerissa Bautista and Suzanne Roces, and backstopped by veteran campaigners Joy Benito, Angela Benting, Jill Gustilo and Rubie de Leon.

But expect Ateneo – with a winning tradition to keep – to be out there fighting for what could be its second straight championship after outlasting former six-time winner University of Santo Tomas in a thrilling sudden death in the first conference finals last July.

Parley Tupaz takes over Gorayeb, and will have an able assistant mentor and former coach and star Charo Soriano in motivating the fancied Loyola-based squad bannered by Alyssa Valdez, Fille Cainglet, Gretchen Ho, Dzi Gervacio, Jam Ferrer and Dennise Lazaro.

The Army ladies will be led by the core of their champion squad, including the power-hitting Carolino sisters – Marietta and Michelle – Joanne Buñag, Cristina Salak and Theresa Iratay with coach Rico de Guzman hoping to tap a couple more veterans to bolster their title-retention bid in the event backed by Mikasa and Accel.