DLSU, UP lock horns for a share of UAAP women’s volleyball lead

Games on Wednesday
(Smart Araneta Coliseum)
9 a.m. – UST vs Ateneo (Men)
11 a.m. – DLSU vs UP (Men)
1 p.m. – UST vs Ateneo (Women)
3 p.m. – DLSU vs UP (Women)

UNBEATEN De La Salle University (DLSU) and University of the Philippines (UP) lock horns in a bid to catch reigning champion National University (NU) on top of the early leaderboard in the UAAP Season 88 women’s volleyball on Wednesday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Riding on hot starts in two matches, only one team will remain unscathed after the 3 p.m. duel to headline a double-header that also features the first-win bid between the listless University of Santo Tomas (UST) and Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU) with similar 0-2 slates at 1 p.m. Their men’s teams also collide at 9 a.m. and 11 a.m., respectively.

Winner gets a share of leadership with NU, which is off to a blazing start in spite of projections to enter a rebuilding stage after losing four of its championship core led by the legendary Bella Belen.

And La Salle poses the strongest challenge to that, remaining as the only team without dropping a single set so far after wiping out fellow contenders Far Eastern University (FEU) and Santo Tomas.

Early MVP contender Shevana Laput will lead the DLSU Lady Spikers’ aim after being hailed as the first Collegiate Press Corps-UAAP Player of the Week this season with an average of 22.5 points in their 25-19, 25-14, 27-25 and 25-14, 25-15, 26-24 against the FEU Lady Tamaraws and UST Golden Tigresses, respectively.

But that would be easier said than done with the revamped UP Fighting Maroons assuring their readiness to give the fancied Lady Spikers a run for their own money.

Under the wings of new mentor Fabio Menta of Italy, UP has emerged as one of the league’s early title contenders with similar 2-0 start after wins against University of the East, 25-12, 25-9, 21-25, 25-19, and Ateneo, 17-25, 19-25, 25-22, 25-23, 16-14.

Led by veteran middle blocker Niña Ytang, the Fighting Maroons snapped an 11-game, eight-year losing skid against the ADMU Blue Eagles so they’re out to catch a big fish once more.

“That’s why we’re here. That’s why we worked for eight months. We need to catch one of those teams sooner or later in order to be in Final Four. And the next one is La Salle. So, there’s more trouble coming,” said Mr. Menta as UP braces for a killer week that also includes a showdown against the mighty NU.

“We’re looking at being first strong enough to play La Salle. And then we have NU. The two teams are the champions in the last years so every game is possible. We proved it last year, beating La Salle and NU. We’re gonna try.” — John Bryan Ulanday