NU tossers pine for UAAP title

WITH another Shakey’s V-League Collegiate Conference title tucked under its belt, National University is setting its sights on a first UAAP women’s volleyball crown this season.

And the Lady Bulldogs will fancy their chances to break the stranglehold of La Salle and Ateneo in the tournament as star Jaja Santiago has found a perfect complement in setter Jasmine Nabor, who flourished in the V-League finals.

Converted to setter from a utility spiker, Nabor gave Santiago the platform to flash dominant form, while contributing with key spikes in the close, two-game sweep of the Lady Eagles.

Nabor showcased her best performance with 14 hits and several excellent sets in the title-clinching 19-25, 25-18, 25-22, 21-25, 15-4 win in Game 2 at Philsports Arena in Pasig last Wednesday.

The Santiago-Nabor duo could be the key for the Lady Bulldogs to finally nail a UAAP crown.

“I think we work well together,” Santiago said in Filipino after delivering 27 points in Game 2. “I always look to her every game. We’re familiar with each other’s game because we’ve known each other since high school.”

Santiago remained cautious, though, in declaring the Lady Bulldogs as the heavy favorites in the UAAP tournament starting in February. La Salle and Ateneo played in the last five finals of the UAAP with the Lady Spikers prevailing last season. But several stars from previous years are no longer seeing action in Season 79, most notably Ateneo’s Alyssa Valdez.

“We have a long way to go and we still need to prepare, but of course the win helps our confidence,” said Santiago. “If we can beat Ateneo in the V-League, then we also have a good chance of beating them in the UAAP. But we have to improve and we have time to prepare.”