All bets off as V-League opens
MANILA, Philippines — An unpredictable Season 11 fires off as a record 12 women’s volleyball teams, including three provincial bets, battle for the Shakey’s V-League First Conference title starting this Sunday.
Newly crowned UAAP champion Ateneo and three-time NCAA titlist Perpetual Help banner the nine Metro Manila squads, while St. Louis University of Baguio (Luzon), Cebu’s Southwestern University (Visayas) and the Davao Lady Agilas (Mindanao) get a shot to represent their regions in the league’s biggest season yet.
“We want V-League to be nationwide in scope,” Moying Martelino, chair of league organizer Sports Vision, said in the PSA Form Tuesay at Shakey’ Malate.
“It’s hard to say which teams are the favorites because the schools are allowed to have foreign and guest players. So it’s anybody’s ballgame.”
Aside from a record field, the league will also have three conferences for the first time this year.
“We’ll have an all-Filipino conference and a reinforced conference,” said Sports Vision president Ricky Palou.
“This has always been our dream and mission, to make sure the sport grows in scale and level,” said Vic Gregorio, Shakey’s executive vice president and chief operating officer.
“We’ve already seen the results with women’s volleyball now one of the popular sports.”
Far Eastern U, San Sebastian, University of Santo Tomas, Arellano and St. Benilde round out the competition, which will be without pioneering squad La Salle anew.
The Lady Spikers, whose bid for a fourth straight UAAP title got spoiled by the Lady Eagles, begged off due to academic reasons.
