Foreign aces reinforce Shakey’s V-League teams

A slew of foreign aces will beef up three of the four teams vying for the women’s crown in the Shakey’s V-League Season 11 Reinforced Conference that kicks off this Sunday at Filoil Flying V Arena in San Juan.

Misao Taniyama, a former Japanese national team player, makes her V-League debut when she suits up for Meralco, alongside Thai Wanida Kotruang, who saw action for Smart last season.

Another Thai, Kesinee Lithawat, returns to reinforce PLDT in the season-ending conference, where Cagayan Valley and Philippine Army are also seeing action.

Bracing for a dogfight, the Lady Rising Suns have tapped the services of Thais Patcharee Sangmuang and Amporn Hyapha to also boost their chances of claiming the crown after falling short against Army in the second conference.

The Lady Troopers of coach Rico de Guzman have decided to field an All-Filipino lineup powered by second conference Most Valuable Player Rachel Ann Daquis and Finals MVP Jovelyn Gonzaga.

Tanyama is no stranger to some of the players in the league after she reinforced the Philippines in the Asian Volleyball Confederation Women’s Club Championship in Thailand.

Kesinee hopes to replicate her fine form when she powered Ateneo’s first V-League crown in Season 8.

The V-League will feature a men’s division for the first time with 2012 UAAP champion Far Eastern University headlining the four-team field that also includes Rizal Technological Institute, Instituto Estetico Manila and Systema.

Teams in the two divisions will play in a double round robin format with the top two teams advancing to the best-of-three finals and the lower two engaging in a race-to-two for the bronze.

Instituto Estetico and Systema open hostilities on Sunday at 1 p.m., before women’s division action starts pitting Army againstMeralco.

Sports Vision president Ricky Palou hopes the staging of the men’s tournament will give the sport a push in popularity.

“We believe men’s volleyball is also enjoying an increase in popularity and we’d like to give it a further push and we’re confident it would be as popular as women’s volleyball,” said Palou.