May gustong patunayan si Garcillano

Six teams, headed by three-time champion La Salle, strut their stuff before an expected big crowd as the Shakey’s V-League unveils its fourth season beginning today with non-stop, top-notch women’s volleyball action up at The Arena in San Juan City.

Although their bid for a fourth straight championship has been stymied by the loss of two key players due to graduation, the Lady Archers remain one of the teams to beat in the tournament, which features eight of the country’s top collegiate squads fighting for women’s volley supremacy.

The Taft-based squad kicks off its bid against Far Eastern U in the 2 p.m. main game of a triple-bill which also pits San Sebastian College against Letran in the 9 a.m. opener and Ateneo against Lyceum at 11 a.m.

Completing the eight-team cast are University of Santo Tomas and Adamson University.

The event, sponsored by Shakey’s Pizza for the fourth year in its continuing effort to help raise the level of RP women’s volleyball, will formally open at 1 p.m. with San Juan City Mayor JV Ejercito as guest of honor and speaker who will also welcome the organizers, sponsors and participants of the Shakey’s V-League to their new home at The Arena in San Juan.

Joining Ejercito are Shakey’s president and CEO Leo Prieto Jr., who will do the ceremonial serve and Shakey’s general manager Vic Gregorio who will declare the games open.

Also gracing the opener are officials of the organizing Sports Vision Management Group, Inc. (SVMGI), headed by chairman Moying Martelino, directors Ricky Palou, Rhea Navarro, Norman Black, Nolan Bernardino, Chito Loyzaga, Iggy Yenko, Sonny Barrios and Elmer Yanga who will do the invocation plus tournament commissioner Tony Boy Liao and Meggie Jose and Coochy Mamaclay, marketing director and brand manager, respectively, of Shakey’s Pizza.

Highlighting today’s inaugurals is the league’s tribute to the late Sports Vision president Emilio “Jun” Bernardino, the former PBA commissioner under whose efforts paved the way for the revival of the sport, which used to be one of the country’s sources of pride in various international competitions.

With former UAAP MVP Desiree Hernandez and many-time Best Libero awardee Sharmaine Penano out of the La Salle fold, the Lady Archers will pin their hopes on the likes of Manilla Santos, Chi Saet, Carla Llaguno, Michelle Datuin, Jacklyn Alarca and new recruit Amy Guanco.

But focus will be on Areerat Sanorseang, La Salle’s Thai reinforcement in the tournament, backed by Mikasa and Accel and telecast over NBN-4 from Monday to Sunday from 2-4 p.m. Games will be held every Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday with three games on tap on each playdate beginning at 1 p.m. on regular playing days.