FILE–FEU Lady Tamaraws in action during the V-League Collegiate Challenge. –HANDOUT PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines — Far Eastern University and San Sebastian kick off the Shakey’s Super League (SSL) Collegiate Pre-season Championship, which will feature 10 NCAA schools and eight UAAP teams, on Friday at Rizal Memorial Coliseum.
For the first time since 2022, the cast of 18 teams from the UAAP and NCAA are complete in the main tournament of the SSL. University of the Philippines and La Salle, who took a leave of absence last year, return.
The league will continue to implement the all-to-play format, requiring the teams to field all the players from their roster with a different set of starters in the first two sets. SSL also allowed the schools to tap senior high school players this year.
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“We want to showcase the recruits of the teams they’ve acquired during the offseason. The fans can expect new names and new faces. See how they will perform and jell with their teams. Established players will also be playing so we’ll have the full lineup of teams ready to play,” said Dr. Ian Laure, the president of Athletic Events and Sports Management, Inc. (ACES) on Wednesday at Shakey’s Malate.
“We have the all-to-play format because it encourages more playing time for all the players in the lineup.”
The opening ceremony is set for Saturday but FEU and San Sebastian will raise the curtains at 3:30 p.m. in a Pool D clash.
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The Lady Tamaraws welcome back coach Tina Salak, who will handle setter Tin Ubaldo, National Invitationals 2nd Best Middle Blocker Jean Asis, Chenie Tagaod, and Faida Bakanke anew after settling for a runner-up finish in the SSL National Invitationals.
“We will give our best in the game, and this will be a great exposure for our rookies to show what they can do,” said FEU assistant coach Joanne Bunag.
Salak will face multi-titled NCAA coach Roger Gorayeb and the Lady Stags, led by Katherine Santos, Von Dimaculangan, and Kristine Dionisio.
Pool D is also composed of NCAA champion College of Saint Benilde and Adamson, led by SSL Girls Volleyball Invitational League MVP Shai Nitura.
UE, UP clash
UE Lady Warriors’ Jelai Gajero. V.LEAGUE PHOTO
Meanwhile, the University of the East and Lyceum of the Philippines University face off at 6 p.m. in Pool B.
The Lady Warriors will see the return of 2023 Girls Volleyball Invitational League Best Opposite Spiker Jelai Gajero after suffering a knee injury last year. Gajero reunites with Casiey Dongallo, Kizzie Madriaga, and Kai Cepada.
“We just hope that the girls are all healthy and perform the way they normally do in practice and apply those in the game and continue moving forward from there,” UE deputy Doc Obet Vital said.
The Lady Pirates parade reigning NCAA 1st Best Middle Blocker Hiromi Osada and Best Opposite Spiker Janeth Tulang, Johna Dolorito, Joan Doguna, and playmaker Venice Puzon.
“Bibigyan namin sila ng madandang laban. Sabi ko nga sa mga bata di naman kailangang pressure and dala-dala sa loob. Just enjoy the game and learn from it,” Lyceum coach Cromwel Garcia said.
Also bannering Pool B are last year’s SSL runner-up and UAAP silver medalist University of Santo Tomas, Mapua, and the University of Perpetual Help.
All eyes are on defending champion National University and La Salle, who had fruitful overseas stints in Thailand and Taiwan, respectively.
The Lady Bulldogs, who have yet to lose an SSL game since joining in 2022, eyes their third Pre-Season championship crown and second title this year after ruling the previous National Invitationals under new coach Sherwin Meneses.
NU opens its campaign on October 4 against Ateneo in Pool A, where it will also face Arellano University, Emilio Aguinaldo College, and San Beda University.
La Salle, on the other hand, is slated in Pool C with Letran College, Jose Rizal University, and the University of the Philippines, which will be the Lady Spikers’ first game on Saturday.
The top two teams of each pool will advance to the next round where they will be grouped into two groups carrying over the points they earned in the prelims for another round-robin play to determine their rankings in the quarterfinals.
The top two ranked squads after the round will be armed with twice-to-beat advantages in the crossover quarterfinals of the tilt. The semifinals and battle for bronze are knockout affairs while the championship is a best-of-three series.