Arellano starts four-peat drive

Games today: (Paco Arena) 10 a.m. — Opening ceremonies 12 p.m. — Arellano vs Mapua 2:30 p.m. — Saint Benilde vs San Beda

Arellano University kicks off its quest for its fourth straight title when Season 97 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) women’s volleyball tournament opens today at the Paco Arena.

The Lady Chiefs battle Mapua University at 12 noon while College of Saint Benilde and San Beda University collide in the 2:30 p.m. second game of this explosive opening-day salvo of the country’s oldest collegiate league.

Arellano has been a dominant force since Season 91 in 2015.

Although the Lady Blazers bannered by the troika of Jeanette Panaga, Ranya Musa and Djannel Cheng pulled the rug from under the Lady Chiefs in Season 92, they bounced back emphatically as they won the next three titles in dominant fashion.

The Lady Blazers were favored to coast all the way to winning their fourth straight title after posting a 7-1 win-loss mark midway through Season 95 in 2020. But the coronavirus pandemic reared its ugly head, prompting the league to scrap the entire tournament.

Now, the Lady Chiefs are set to make another run and head coach Obet Javier couldn’t wait to steer them back to finals.

“We’re all excited to get back since it has been two years since we last played. Still, it will be hard because of the short practice time we had,” said Javier, who lost ace spikers Regine Arocha and Necole Ebuen and veteran playmaker Sarah Verutiao.

“Since the team is shorter, we have to fortify our floor defense. So, we focused more on our floor defense.”

Team captain Carla Donato and Princess Bellos will serve as the veterans of this young Arellano team, which is composed of Trina Abay, Kristine Adante, Dodee Batindaan, Cherry Mae Cuenca, Alliah Daisog, Pauline De Guzman, Charmina Diño, Janice Mauntag, Robbie Matawaran, Marianne Padillon, Lorraine Pecaña, Donnalyn Paralejas, Alyana San Gregorio and Nicole Sasuman.