Lady Spikers, Bulldogs look to wrap it up

Games Today (Smart Araneta Coliseum) 12 noon – Ateneo vs NU (men’s) (Award Ceremony) 4 p.m. – La Salle vs FEU (women’s)

La Salle guns for its third straight women’s title even as National University seeks to end a five-year-old men’s championship drought when they battle respective foes today at the resumption of the UAAP volleyball finals at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The Lady Spikers face the hungry Far Eastern University Lady Tamaraws at 4 p.m. while the Bulldogs hope to dethrone the four-peat-seeking Ateneo Blue Eagles in their 12 noon opener of their best-of-three affair.

La Salle is riding on the momentum of a 29-27, 25-21, 25-22 Game 1 win last Saturday.

Like La Salle, the NU Bulldogs also seek to keep their energy going after taking the opener, 25-20, 25-19, 25-23.

Limiting ace scorer and five-time Most Valuable Player Marck Espejo remains NU’s mission while maintaining its powerful serves after walloping 13 anchored on Madzlan Gampong and James Natividad.

Meanwhile, National University’s Jaja Santiago and Ateneo’s Espejo share the UAAP volleyball spotlight after being adjudged this season’s Most Valuable Players.

It is Santiago’s first MVP plum, a bittersweet ending to her collegiate career after failing to steer the Lady Bulldogs to the finals.

Espejo, meanwhile, clinched his fifth straight MVP award.

Espejo’s teammate, Ish Polvorosa, likewise, ends his collegiate career with the Best Setter award while completing the men’s individual awardees are University of Santo Tomas’ Jayvee Sumagaysay (Best Blocker), La Salle’s Jopet Movido (Best Digger), FEU’s Rikko Marmeto (Best Receiver) and Ateneo’s Ariel Morado Jr. (Rookie of the Year).

Also joining the podium are Sisi Rondina of University of Santo Tomas (Best Scorer), FEU’s Celine Domingo (Best Blocker), La Salle’s Desiree Cheng (Best Server), UE’s Kath Arado (Best Digger and Best Receiver), Ateneo’s Deanna Wong (Best Setter) and UST’s Milena Alessandrini (Rookie of the Year).