Alyssa Valdez has left the confines of Ateneo and it’s now her predecessors’ turn to carry the flag in the UAAP Season 79 women’s volleyball tournament.
The Lady Eagles will begin the new era against resurgent University of Santo Tomas that features the offensive duo of Cherry Rondina and EJ Laure in the opening day on February 4 at Araneta Coliseum.
Jaja Santiago’s National University, which failed to enter the Final Four in Season 78, will go up against University of the East, which finished last in 2016, in the curtain raiser also on February 4.
Defending champions De La Salle, meanwhile, will start its title-retention bid the day after, also at the Big Dome, against Far Eastern University, the same team that pushed the Lady Spikers’ to the brink in the Final 4 previous season.
The Lady Spikers, who had a twice-to-beat advantage, fended off the Lady Tamaraws in two games after an upset in their first match.
University of the Philippines, which finished fourth in Season 78, will go up against retooled Adamson University in the first game on February 5.
Other key match ups in the first round of action are UST’s game vs La Salle on Febuary 11 at San Juan Arena; UP versus Ateneo on Febuary 26′ and the Ateneo-La Salle clash on March 4 at Mall of Asia Arena.
FULL SCHEDULE BELOW
