NU, Adamson carry clean marks to semis

Defending champion National University and Adamson stake their flawless records today when they battle different rivals at the start of the women’s semifinals in the Premier Volleyball League Collegiate Conference at The Arena in San Juan City.

The top-seeded Lady Bulldogs square off with the fourth-ranked Arellano Lady Chiefs at 4 p.m., while the No. 2 Lady Falcons collide with third seed Far Eastern University Lady Tamaraws in the 6:30 p.m. in Game 1 of their respective best-ofthree affairs.

NU and Adamson finished the eliminations with 5-0 win-loss records for their respective brackets, but the Lady Bulldogs clinched the No. 1 seeding with a higher quotient over the Lady Falcons.

Focus, however, will be on NU as it tries to retain its title.

So far, the Lady Bulldogs are a force to reckon with after dropping only one set in all their five victories.

But expect Arellano to be a tough squad to crack as the Lady Chiefs have already eclipsed their best finish of fifth place since joining the league four years ago.

Also spicing up the duel will be the clash between NU’s Jaja Santiago and Arellano’s Jovielyn Prado, the leading two spikers in the conference.

Santiago’s experience with the national team and her towering 6-foot-7 frame would be the Lady Bulldogs’ big advantage, but the 5-foot-8 Prado, a promising high school outside hitter before college, is known to attack the net from all angles.

Support will also be crucial in the matchup with Santiago hoping to get reinforcements from Jorelle Singh, Risa Sato, and Audrey Paran.

Prado, for her part, has

Regine Arocha, Andrea Marzan, and Nicole Ebuen.

Like NU, Adamson also hopes to protect its immaculate record.

But the challenge to clinch their first title since winning it in 2008 has become tougher with the absence of the Lady Falcons’ top hitter Jema Galanza to ankle injury two playdates ago.

Sophomore coach Air Padda, however, hopes Christine Soyud, Mary Joy Dacoron, and Chiara Permentilla would still fuel the team’s momentum against a dangerous FEU side bannered by Toni Rose Basas, Heather Guino-o and Jerrili Malabanan.

FEU booked the last semis bus last Monday after prevailing over Lyceum in four sets. It also eliminated last year’s bridesmaid Ateneo in the semis race.