By Kristel Satumbaga
Games Today
(The Arena, San Juan City)
8:30 a.m. – Arellano vs JRU (Jrs)
9:30 a.m. – Arellano vs JRU (Men’s)
11 a.m. – Opening Ceremonies
12 noon – Arellano vs JRU (Women’s)
2 p.m. – Perpetual vs San Beda (Women’s)
3:30 p.m. – Perpetual vs San Beda (Men’s)
5 p.m. – Perpetual vs San Beda (Juniors)
University of Perpetual Help and Arellano University start their title-retention bids in their divisions at the start of the NCAA volleyball tournament today at The Arena in San Juan City.
The Altas gun for their sixth men’s title in eight years while the Lady Chiefs seek their fourth women’s crown in five seasons.
Perpetual Help coach Sammy Acaylar will be parading with a taller lineup compared from last season, but will be without three key players who helped anchored the squad to the podium: Finals Most Valuable Player Rey Taneo, setter Warren Catipay and libero Jack Kalingking.
However, Acaylar believes they are still a force to reckon with due to the team’s dynamic duo of last season’s Rookie-MVP winner Joebert Almodiel and John Patrick Ramos.
Perpetual opens its campaign at 3:30 p.m. against San Beda, which finished fourth last season.
The Lady Chiefs, for their part, clash with the Jose Rizal University (JRU) Lady Bombers at 12 noon – the same squad that they beat in last year’s semis to advance in the finals.
Regine Arocha and Necole Ebuen are set to lead the Arellano crew.
A simple opening ceremony to be hosted by JRU will be held at 11 a.m.
Other matches pit junior teams Arellano against JRU at 8:30 a.m. with their male counterparts facing at 9:30 a.m.
The women’s teams of Perpetual and San Beda collide at 2 p.m. while their junior squads battle at 5 p.m.
