Streaking Lady Eagles, skidding Spikers face off

Games today (MOA Arena) 8 a.m. – UST vs FEU (men’s) 10 a.m. – DLSU vs AdMU (men’s) 2 p.m. – UST vs FEU (women’s) 4 p.m. – DLSU vs AdMU (women’s)

One team is on a roll and eager to continue the trend while the other is on a bit of a struggle but determined to rediscover its top form.

With this subplot spicing up the highly charged rivalry, streaking Ateneo and skidding defending champion La Salle clash for the first time in the UAAP Season 80 women’s volleyball tournament today at the MOA Arena.

The opening serve is set at 4 p.m. with the Lady Eagles (4-2) gunning for their fifth straight win and the Lady Spikers (4-2) seeking to get back on track after losing for the second time in three outings via 18-25, 25-15, 19-25, 2225 setback to Adamson last week.

Giant killer Far Eastern U (4-2), meanwhile, looks to score a follow up to its big 25-22, 2527, 25-13, 25-20 reversal over erstwhile unbeaten National U as it battles slumping University of Santo Tomas (2-4) in the 2 p.m. curtain-raiser.

Regardless of their present positions, the AdMU-DLSU duel promises to be another epic clash between rivals who simply wouldn’t want to lose to the other.

“You know with Ateneo-La Salle, you can never really tell. There’s no stats needed, nothing, no standings,” said AdMU’s Bea de Leon, whose team takes on its rival without coach Tai Bundit (attending to family matters in Thailand) and libero Dani Ravena (recovering from appendectomy operation).

“Hopefully we can take advantage (of Ateneo’s four game streak and La Salle’s struggles) but I think it’s gonna be a real classic,” said De Leon.

A disappointed DLSU coach Ramil de Jesus didn’t mince words in lambasting the Lady Spikers for their “un-La Salle” showing of late.

“Pang-barangay lang laro ninyo, doon kayo bagay, hindi kayo bagay sa UAAP (With such performance, you belong to the barangay leagues, not the UAAP),” De Jesus told the Lady Spikers after the loss to Adamson.