Backstopped by the power duo of Michelle Carolino and Maureen Penetrante, the Lady Archers started their title-retention campaign in the tourney by walloping the Ateneo Lady Eagles, 25-18, 25-23, 25-20, Saturday at the Loyola Gym.
University of Santo Tomas, for its part, seeks to bounce back from a numbing 25-10, 21-25, 22-25, 14-25 upset loss to San Sebastian also on opening day as it takes on dangerous Lyceum at 2 p.m., preceding the 4 p.m. La Salle-FEU duel.
The Lady Pirates and the Lady Tams dropped their initial assignments with the former falling to the Lady Eagles in five grueling sets, 21-25, 27-29, 25-19, 25-22, 12-15, while the latter bowing to the crisp hitting Lady Stags, 18-25, 16-25, 25-22, 18-25, in this collegiate even bankrolled by Shakey’s Pizza and supported by Accel, Mikasa, IBC 13 and Jemah Production.
Carolino, who powered the Taft-based school to last year’s second conference crown over powerhouse UST, is expected to draw the crowd again in the tournament’s final stop at Intramuros, Manila before hitting the more accessible Rizal Memorial Coliseum starting Saturday.
Equally interesting is the UST-Lyceum showdown, which could go down to the wire since both squads are raring to barge into the win column.
"Magandang laban ito dahil siguradong magpipilit ang dalawang team na manalo, galing kasi kami sa talo pareho," said Lyceum coach Emil Lontoc, who also coaches the UST men’s team.
"Medyo nagulat siguro kami nung first game namin," UST mentor August Sta. Maria, for his part, said. "Malakas din sila (Lyceum) pero pipilitin namin na kunin ang game na ito dahil mahirap matalo ng dalawang sunod."