TIP tries to build on impressive debut

AN UNDER-THE-RADAR Technological Institute of the Philippines goes for another upset versus a similarly surprising St. Benilde in the Shakey’s V-League Season 12 Collegiate Conference today.

Pumped up by a thrilling debut, the Lady Engineers dispute the Group B lead against the Lady Blazers at 3 p.m. at Filoil Flying V Arena in San Juan.

“We’re just new [in the league] so we’re expecting that we’ll have a hard time,” said TIP coach Boy Paril after his Lady Engineers impressively rose from two sets down to stun La Salle-Dasmariñas, 20-25, 17-25, 25-23, 25-20, 15-8, last week. “But luckily, we won [our first game]. We’re still improving.”

Bookending the match are two games where four teams target a first victory after dropping their assignments in the opening weekend.

University of Santo Tomas and La Salle-Dasmariñas clash in Group B at 12:45 p.m., while Group A squads University of the Philippines and Polytechnic University of the Philippines battle at 5 p.m.

Although champions in the Universities and Colleges Athletic Association (UCAA), the Lady Engineers claim they have little exposure outside their turf.

“We really don’t have much experience,” said Paril.

“They’re a good team,” St. Benilde coach Micahel Cariño said of the Lady Engineers. “We can’t just go easy on them.”