Lady Spikers, Eagles out to extend run

MANILA, Philippines - La Salle and defending champion Ateneo seek to extend their unbeaten runs against separate rivals today in the resumption of the UAAP Season 77 women’s volleyball tournament at the Arena.

The Lady Spikers gun for their sixth straight victory against winless University of the East Lady Warriors (0-5) at 4 p.m., aiming to warm up before their much-anticipated showdown with rivals Lady Eagles next week.

The Lady Eagles, on the other hand, target their fifth consecutive triumph at 2 p.m. against University of the Philippines Lady Maroons (2-3).

The Ateneans, who took a break from UAAP action to compete in the Asean University Games, face a busy slate after the holidays with three games in a span of seven games up ahead.

Katipunan neighbor UP will be the first in line today, after which Ateneo will mix it up with UE on Saturday and duel with La Salle the following day.

“Every team, pinaghahandaan talaga namin. Pina-plan niya talaga kung ano ang kailangan naming gawin (We prepare as hard for every team we face),” said reigning MVP Alyssa Valdez, who currently leads the tournament in spiking and service.

The Lady Eagles finished the first salvo of action at second place with a 4-0 card behind the Lady Spikers’ league-best 5-0 slate. Adamson ranked third with 3-2 followed

by Far Eastern (3-3), the only team with one game left in its first-round assignments.

The Lady Tams will face struggling University of Santo Tomas (1-4) on Jan. 10. UP and National U share fifth with

identical 2-3 cards. After playing Ateneo, UP goes up against

Adamson on Wednesday next week when action shifts to the Mall of Asia Arena.

On the same day, the Lady Bulldogs battle the Tigresses before wrapping up their first round assignments against the Lady Falcons on Jan. 11.

UST has only a victory to show in five games despite having rookie EJ Laure in the roster, just a notch higher than UE, which remained without a win under new coach Francis Vicente.

Hostilities in the men’s division also resume today with three-peat-seeking Bulldogs (5-0) aiming to move closer to a first round sweep against the Fighting Maroons (1-3) at 10 a.m., right after the Blue Eagles (3-2) and the Red Warriors (0-5) take on the floor at 8 a.m.

Meanwhile, second round action will begin on Jan. 14 before the league pauses for another lull to give way to the papal visit on Jan. 15-19.  There will be no matches scheduled on Jan. 17 and 18.