Tough road ahead for Ateneo, UST

Life without ace setter Jia Morado won’t be the same for powerhouse Ateneo as the Lady Eagles brace themselves for a tough flight in the 80th UAAP women’s volleyball tournament that gets going this weekend at the Mall of Asia Arena.

After making the finals for the past six seasons, the Lady Eagles are in for their most daunting challenge as they try to find their new identity without the 5-foot-7 Morado, who skipped her final year of eligibility in a stunning announcement last May.

Solid hitters Michelle Morente and Kim Gequillana also won’t be around. Morente, after failing to meet the school’s academic requirements, transferred to bitter rival, defending twotime champion La Salle, while Gequillana has yet to recover from an ACL injury she endured in a Premier Volleyball League match in the off-season.

Then things nearly turned from bad to worse when Thai mentor Tai Bundit reportedly had a falling out with the other Lady Eagles’ mainstays, forcing Ateneo school president Fr. Jett Villarin, SJ, to step in and help all parties involved sort things out.

Whether the Lady Eagles can soar to familiar heights will be known based on the collective performances of new captain Maddie Madayag, open hitters Jho Maraguinot and Kat Tolentino, and middle blocker Bea de Leon.

Also facing tough odds in its bid to crash the Final Four party is University of Santo Tomas, which won’t have top hitter EJ Laure in its fold due to a chronic right shoulder injury.

Without Laure, UST coach Kungfu Reyes will have to draw more production from Sisi Rondina, Carla Sandoval, Dimdim Pacres and Shanen Palec.