La Salle Lady Spikers. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines — La Salle opens its title-retention campaign against Adamson in the UAAP Season 86 women’s volleyball opener on Saturday at Mall of Asia Arena.
The Lady Spikers and Lady Falcons, who clashed in preseason finals, highlight the season-opener in their exciting 4 p.m. game.
Meanwhile, Ateneo and the University of the East will field their new-look rosters at 2 p.m. with the Blue Eagles coach Sergio Veloso making his debut by parading Lyann De Guzman, AC Miner, and Roma Doromal after the exit of Vanie Gandler and Faith Nisperos.
UE also leans on new coach Jerry Yee, who will bank on the core of the California Academy led by Casiey Dongallo.
La Salle, which ended a five-year title drought for its 12th championship after dethroning National University last year, parades rookie MVP Angel Canino, Thea Gagate, Alleiah Malaluan, Shevana Laput, Aimee Provido, and Julia Coronel with most successful UAAP coach Ramil De Jesus calling the shots.
The Lady Spikers lost graduates Jolina Dela Cruz and Mars Alba as well as Fifi Sharma and Justine Jazareno, who decided to turn pro with Akari in the PVL.
New Adamson coach JP Yude, who steered the high school girls squad to a perfect championship on Monday, will make his debut in the women’s debut with senior spiker Lucille Almonte leading her young team after the departure of Louie Romero, Trisha Tubu, Kate Santiago, Rizza Cruz and others with Coach Jerry Yee, who went to Farm Fresh in the PVL.
La Salle and Adamson clash in the Shakey’s National Invitational Finals with the Lady Spikers pulling off a series comeback sans Canino with Laput emerging as tournament MVP.
Men’s clash
The men’s squads of Ateneo and UE and La Salle and Adamson raise the curtain of the new volleyball season at 10 a.m. and 12 noon, respectively.
On Sunday, runner-up National University starts its road to title redemption when it battles the University of Santo Tomas, which begins its life without Eya Laure in their 4 p.m. game.
The Lady Bulldogs will continue to bank on their core bannered by Bella Belen, Alyssa Solomon, Vange Alinsug, Sheena Toring, and setter Lams Lamina against the Golden Tigresses Regina Jurado, Jonna Perdido, rookie Angeline Poyos, playmaker Cassie Carballo, and libero Detdet Pepito.
Far Eastern University parades foreign student-athlete Faida Bakanke against the University of the Philippines, which will have new coach Oliver Almadro, in their 2 p.m. match.
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The second day of the men’s tournament will feature the rematch between ‘four-peat’-seeking NU, which swept all of its games last year, and runner-up UST at 12 noon after the FEU-UP match.