Ateneo, NU stake unbeaten record vs separate foes

MANILA, Philippines -- Ateneo and National University seek to remain unscathed as the two face off with dangerous Far Eastern U and University of the Philippins, respectively, in Monday's start of the quarterfinals of the Spikers' Turf Season 1-Collegiate Conference at The Arena in San Juan City.

The Blue Eagles, the reigning UAAP champions, square it off with the Tams in their 5 p.m. duel while the Bulldogs, the former UAAP titlists, tangle with the Maroons in the first game of a three-match offering at 1 p.m.

Emilio Aguinaldo College, the NCAA title-holder, tackle St. Benilde at 3 p.m. in a re-match between last season's NCAA finalists in this tournament presented by PLDT Home Ultera.

Ateneo and NU will come into the quarters the favorites after having swept their respective brackets in five games.

But the Eagles and the Bulldogs could only carry over three wins since their wins over eliminated teams will not count based on league format.

Tournament format calls for the eight quarterfinalists, four from each pool, to be merged in one group and will play in another single-round affair, provided that the matches played by the teams in the preliminary round will no longer be played but the results will be carried over in the quarters.

Ateneo coach Oliver Almandro said they need to double their efforts since he expects the field to step up big after the pool matches.

"This is a different stage so we expect other teams to level up also," said Almandro, who also coached the national men's team that competed in last June's Southeast Asian Games in Singapore and the Asian Under-23 Championship in Myanmar last May.

All eyes are on UAAP MVP Marck Espejo and equally seasoned Rex Intal, Ysay Marasigan, Janjan Rivero and talented setter Ish Polvorosa.