By MARK REY MONTEJO
Games Saturday
(FilOil EcoOil Centre, San Juan City)
9 a.m. – UST vs UE (men’s)
11 a.m. – UST vs UE (women’s)
3 p.m. – La Salle vs Adamson (men’s)
5 p.m. – La Salle vs Adamson (women’s)
University of Santo Tomas and La Salle seek bounce back wins when they face their respective rivals in the UAAP Season 87 women’s volleyball tournament at the FilOil EcoOil Centre in San Juan City Saturday, Feb. 22.
After a 3-1 loss to the Far Eastern University Lady Tamaraws in the opener last weekend, the Golden Tigresses are out to conquer the University of the East Lady Warriors with fire and swords in their 11 a.m. showdown.
Expected to lead UST are Angge Poyos, last year’s Rookie of the Year winner, Regina Jurado and Margaret Altea with libero Detdet Pepito ready to provide support for the Kungfu Reyes-guided crew.
The La Salle Lady Spikers are likewise to do the same when go up against the Adamson Lady Falcons at 5 p.m.
The La Salle-Adamson tiff will have a subplot – that is the intriguing duel between Angel Canino of the Taft-based squad against the league’s rising star Shaina Nitura of the Lady Falcons.
Canino was a big disappointment the last time after being held to just 9 points while the 20-year-old Nitura fired from all cylinders en route to setting a record 33 points for a rookie.
Not only that, the Lady Spikers need to placate coach Ramil de Jesus who suffered his first opening day loss in 28 years – no thanks to the mighty NU Lady Bulldogs who rampaged to a 3-set win.
For De Jesus, that defeat was a hard pill to swallow but he’s hoping his players will learn from their mistakes.
“‘Yon ang importante, may natutunan ka sa pagkatalo mo, and ready kang i-correct ‘yon sa mga susunod na laban,” said de Jesus.
Despite missing some of their key contributors in Jonna Perdido and Xyza Gula, the España-based squad wants to continue to build its chemistry, especially since most of its players are rookies.
Beating the Lady Warriors won’t be easy as Khy Cepada, Van Bangayan and Kayce Balingit are expected to go all-out to make for a heartbreaking 5-set loss to the UP Fighting Maroons.
Cepada attacked relentlessly to finish with 24 points, but her effort went for naught.
