Navy, 2 others out to spring surprises

MANILA, Philippines - Philippine Navy, Far Eastern U and Cagayan Province set out as the underdogs in the Shakey’s V-League Open but all vowed to pull off some surprises over their fancied rivals when the event is fired off tomorrow at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.

The Navy girls will try to improve on their fourth place finish here last year on a team built around mainstays Micmic Laborte, Joan Carpio, Daphne Mata, Marilou Galido and Janet Serafica while Far Eastern U will be bannered by Angeline Tabaquero, Marie Toni Basas, Ivy Remulla, Gyzelle Sy, Yvett Tutanes and Wenneth Eulalio.

Cagayan Province, on the other hand, will be led by a combination of veteran campaigners April Sartin, Royse Rubino, Joy Cases, Jen Manzano and Sandra delos Santos.

Backstopped by two Thai aces, Sandugo-San Sebastian has been picked as the team to beat in the six-week long tournament sponsored by Shakey’s Pizza with Ateneo and defending champion Philippine Army as chief contenders.

But Navy, FEU and Cagayan will go all-out to score reversals and fuel their respective title drives in the tournament backed by Mikasa and Accel.

Meanwhile, in an effort to give fans easy access to the games, the organizing Sports Vision has decided to hold the games at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium inside the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex.

Matches will also be aired on AKTV with live streaming at www.v-league.ph.

Keen competition is seen in the event with the winner gaining the right to represent the Philippines in the planned Shakey’s Invitational in November.

Play will be a double round-robin elims with the top four advancing to the crossover semis with the No. 1 team clashing with No. 4 and the Nos. 2 and 3 disputing the other finals berth in a pair of best-of-three series. The finals will also be a best-of-three affair.