Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
Ateneo has to keep up with National University’s depth and athleticism while the Lady Bulldogs have to restrain the power and collective strength of the Lady Eagles.
They’ll aim to cancel each other out in the championship series opener of the Shakey’s V-League Season 12-Collegiate Conference Sunday at Filoil Flying V Arena in San Juan City.
Game time is set 12:45 p.m. before their male counterparts—the Blue Eagles and the Bulldogs—contend for the crown in Game 1 of the Spikers Turf best-of-three finale at 3 p.m.
Alyssa Valdez, tipped to run away with the conference MVP plum, will be the biggest thorn for the Bulldogs, who will also have to deal with the likes of Bea De Leon, Kim Gequillana and setter Gizelle Tan.
“Ateneo is strong because of Alyssa,” said NU coach Roger Gorayeb, who coached Valdez at Ateneo before he moved to the bench of the Lady Bulldogs.
“She packs so much power and has matured so much that she can carry a team to a championship.”
Gorayeb refused to say it, but the Lady Bulldogs are out to crowd the crisp-hitting Valdez at the net with Jaja Santiago and Myla Pablo possibly putting up the road block.
Dindin Santiago-Manabat, who skipped the entire playoffs after joining the national team in a club tournament in Vietnam, will miss the series opener and play in Game 2.
Far Eastern U shrugged off a shaky start and a third set meltdown as it repulsed University of Santo Tomas, 25-17, 25-17, 10-25, 25-20, to seize the lead in their best-of-three series for third.
The Lady Tams trailed in the early going but picked up their rhythm midway in the first quarter and went on to cruise to victory.
The Lady Tams shoot for the clincher next Saturday.