Lady Spikers, Lady Bulldogs settle score anew

Games Wednesday
(Mall of Asia Arena)

10 a.m. – Adamson vs UP (men’s)
12 p.m. – Adamson vs UP (women’s)
2 p.m. – NU vs La Salle (women’s)
4 p.m. – NU vs La Salle

MANILA, Philippines – New era rivals and last season finalists National University and La Salle have played as good as advertised in the heating up UAAP Season 85 women’s volleyball tournament by occupying the top two spots with a game to go in the first round.

And after taking care of their initial assignments, the time is set to settle the score once more as reigning champion NU and runner-up La Salle slug it out in a finals rematch at the Mall of Asia Arena for no less than the league leadership entering the second round.

The Lady Spikers sport an immaculate slate of 6-0 with the Lady Bulldogs just lurking on their coattails at 5-1, turning the battle at 2 p.m. into fireworks right after the appetizer between Adamson (4-2) and University of the Philippines (1-5) at 12 p.m.

La Salle failed to get a single win against NU last season including a sweep in the best-of-three finale but is banking on a beefed-up lineup with the addition of super rookie and UAAP juniors MVP Angel Canino to finally get the job done this time around.

Blocking, which La Salle is dominating led by the triple towers of Canino, Thea Gagate and Fifi Sharma, will also be one of Lady Spikers’ aces against the dreaded NU attacking combo of reigning MVP Mhicaela Belen and Allysa Solomon.

“Kung anong strength namin, ‘yun ang kakapitan namin. No. 1 kami sa blocking so kailangan naming pangatawanan ‘yun. Kailangan naming gawin ‘yung trabaho namin sa taas,” said interim coach Noel Orcullo.

For NU, stopping an entirely different La Salle side now with the newest gunner in Canino will be the deciding factor if it wishes to snatch the top seed and stabilize its title retention goal after being stunned by Santo Tomas early in the first round.

“Ngayon po, may go-to-player na sila at talagang nag-improve sila as a team. Magiging challenge po ito sa amin.” said Belen as she goes head-to-head with Canino, her longtime rival since high school where NU and La Salle-Zobel also had a heated rivalry.

“Malaking game ito para sa amin at dito namin makikita kung hanggang saan na kami this first round,” added coach Karl Dimaculangan.

Meanwhile, defending titlist NU (6-0) and No. 4 La Salle (4-2) also clash in a pivotal men’s division battle at 4 p.m. while Adamson (0-6) and UP (0-6) shoot for first win at 10 a.m.