Ateneo-La Salle duel begins

Ateneo and La Salle push their rivalry a notch higher on Tuesday when they clash in Game 1 of their championship series in the UAAP women’s volleyball tournament at Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The schools that produced superstars Alyssa Valdez, Denden Lazaro, Mika Reyes and Aby Maraño will meet in the finals for the sixth straight season before an expected sellout crowd.

The match fires off at 4 p.m.

The day’s other schedule at 12 noon pits Ateneo and National University in the opener of their separate series for the men’s title.

The Lady Eagles, who have retained their fighting form despite the graduation last season of their former bedrock Valdez, used the postponement of Game 1—originally set April 29—to recuperate and train harder.

Veteran spiker Michelle Morente said the new finals schedule conflicted with their academic finals but they have learned to cope with better time management.

Jia Morado, the Lady Eagles’ prolific setter, said some of her teammates are still recuperating from the bruising run-up to the finals which they capped by ousting tough University of Santo Tomas in the Final Four.

Bea de Leon reportedly has a sprain, Kat Tolentino and Jho Maraguinot are nursing hurting knees, Morente has abdominal issues and Morado herself has back pains.

But Morado said everybody “should be ready for the finals.”

Part of their training, according to assistant coach Sherwin Meneses, was playing pick-up games with a team of gay players on top of their usual conditioning regimen under coach Tai Bundit.

La Salle coach Ramil de Jesus, meanwhile, has declined reporters’ request for player interviews.

Middle blocker Majoy Baron said last week they were excited to begin the series. The rest of the Lady Spikers like setter Kim Fajardo, Kianna Dy, Dawn Macandili and Desiree Cheng have clammed up, however.

Despite losing both elimination games to the Lady Eagles this season, the Lady Spikers hold a 3-2 edge head-to-head in the finals and are actually gunning for their 10th UAAP title.

The Lady Spikers are also eyeing a title repeat after spoiling Valdez’s swan song last season.

“The eliminations are different from the finals,” said Morado, referring to Ateneo’s pair of wins against La Salle.

Maraguinot said they “have moved on” and are “now focused” on winning this time.