LADY MAROONS, TAMS CLASH FOR EARLY LEAD
UNIVERSITY of the Philippines( UP) and Far Eastern University ( FEU) renew their preseason rivalry as they clash for the early lead in Season 81 University Athletic Association of the Philippines ( UAAP) women’s volleyball tournament today at the Fil-Oil Flying V Centre in San Juan City.
The Lady Maroons swept the Lady Tamaraws with two five- set victories to grab the Premier Volleyball League ( PVL) Collegiate Conference crown— their first major volleyball title in 36 years-- last September 2018.
UP and FEU, both season- opening day winners, face off a new at 4 p.m.
“I know F EU will becoming for a revenge. We will be going out to win against them for the third time. But again, nothing comes easy ,” said the Lady Maroons head coach Godfrey Okumu.
“I believe if we play hard, we have a chance of winning,” he added. “Most of my players know what they’re doing, they’re good in the game and they know how to handle themselves.”
UP scored a hard- earned first win at the expense of University of the East, 25- 12, 22- 25, 23- 25, 25- 19, 15- 12, last Saturday.
Okumu will bank again on PVL Conference and Finals MVP Isa Molde, who smashed 23 points on 19 attacks, two blocks and two aces in the previous outing.
Veteran spiker Tots Carlos and opposite hitter Justine Dorog are also expected to deliver the goods for the Diliman- based squad.
On the other hand, FEU mentor George Pascua is not keen on getting revenge but rather on improving their game.
“Knowing UP, they have a different character so we need to level up our game. We still have many things to fix because it’s just the start of the season,” said Pascua.
The last season’s runners- up Lady Tamaraws hurdled National University, 22- 25, 25- 19, 25- 19, 25- 12, in their season debut.
Rookie spiker Lycha Ebon, who topscored with 13 points the last time out, is tabbed to lead the Morayta-based volleybelles along with captain Jerilli Malabanan, Heather Anne Guino- o and Celine Domingo.
Meanwhile, University of Santo Tomas also guns for a second win against Ateneo De Manila University in the 2 p. m. curtain raiser.
The Golden Trigresses notched a breakthrough victory after outlasting Adamson University, 25- 21, 25- 21, 2426, 24- 26, 15- 6, last Sunday.
On the same day, the Lady Eagles bowed down to four- peat seeking archrival De La Salle University, 14- 25, 17- 25, 25- 16, 19- 25.