Impressive starts for UAAP volley favorites

A slew of veterans and young hotshots came to the fore in the opening weekend of the UAAP women’s volleyball tournament.

Rivals Ateneo and La Salle, last season’s finalists, posted contrasting wins even as University of Santo Tomas and Far Eastern University also got off to impressive starts.

Ateneo star Alyssa Valdez exploded for 28 points as the defending champion Lady Eagles turned back National University in straights sets, 25-21, 25-18, 25-15, Saturday at Mall of Asia Arena.

The Lady Archers, meanwhile, overcame an early challenge from Adamson to hack out a 25-23, 24-26, 25-14, 25-17 triumph behind Ara Galang’s  27-point effort yesterday at Filoil Flying V Arena.

Former high school MVP EJ Laure shone on her collegiate debut as the Tigresses blasted University of the East, 25-11, 25-12, 25-14.

Sophomore Bernadette Pons also came through for FEU, firing a team-high 15 points in the Lady Tamaraws’  drubbing of University of the Philippines, 25-14, 26-24, 25-20.

Valdez, last season’s Most Valuable Player, posted 20 spikes, a couple of blocks and six of the team’s 11 service aces in the Lady Eagles’ domination of the Lady Bulldogs, who lost star Dindin Santiago to graduation.

Galang took charge in the closing sets for the Lady Archers to record 22 kills and five blocks.

Pons, last year’s top rookie, got the Lady Tamaraws off to a hot start then drew help from Remy Palma and Geneveve Casugod, the towering duo  who combined for 18 markers.

In men’s action, defending champion NU kicked off its bid with a 25-23, 25-21, 25-12 win over Adamson while last season’s runner-up Ateneo also disposed of FEU, 25-14, 25-19, 25-20.

In other games, UST swept UE, 25-18, 25-22, 25-21, while UP outlasted La Salle, 22-25, 25-21, 25-14, 22-25, 15-12.