Southwoods gears up for Interclub, wants another shot at Saso, Pradera

DAVAO—With a young roster, the Manila Southwoods-Masters squad looks to reclaim the Philippine Airlines Ladies Interclub championship next week against a Pradera Verde crew built around the talented Yuka Saso.

Led by seasoned internationalist Sofia Chabon and the returning Sunshine Baraquiel, the Carmona-based club hopes to bounce back from a thorough beating suffered at the hands of Pradera last year in Cebu where its five-year reign was snapped.

“I’m very confident of our chances,” non-playing skipper Claire Ong said on Thursday as her charges prime up for a return clash with Saso and a revved up Pradera roster backstopped by three Malaysian junior standouts starting Wednesday at Rancho Palos Verdes here.

Southwoods is so keen on returning to the winner’s circle that the entire team is already here to test the course.

“Our players have been together for more than a month now and are playing fairly well,” Ong said. “The players are in high spirits and raring to go.”

Annika Guangco, Tin Torralba, Mafy Singson, Laurea Duque, Mariel Tee and Samantha Dizon are the other members of the squad which is the other half of the most successful amateur team program in the country in recent years.

Southwoods has also lorded it over the Men’s Interclub for the last four years.