Ateneo, NU open duels for two volleyball crowns

(Games today)

12:45 p.m. – NU vs Ateneo (V-League finals)

3 p.m. – Ateneo vs NU (Spikers’ Turf finals)

MANILA, Philippines - It’s a sweep, bust or split as Ateneo and National U dispute two volleyball titles in what looms to be a pair of thrilling finales capping the Shakey’s V-League and Spikers’ Turf Collegiate Conferences.

But focus will surely be on the Lady Eagles-Lady Bulldogs duel, a dream title match between two teams that dominated the mid-season conference of the league sponsored by Shakey’s.

Though Ateneo went through a wringer before thwarting a stubborn UST side in their best-of-three semifinal clash, the Lady Eagles remain the slight favorites against the Lady Bulldogs when Game One is played beginning at 12:45 p.m. today at The Arena in San Juan.

The Ateneo-NU volley rivalry also spills into the Spikers’ Turf as the Eagles and Bulldogs clash in the opener of their own best-of-three series starting at 3 p.m.

Both games can also be viewed live via streaming on www.v-league.ph, according to the organizing Sports Vision.

In the Shakey’s V-League, Ateneo boasts of the league’s scoring leader whose power and class are unmatched and a reliable crew ready to step up in what promises to be a fiercely fought series presented by PLDT Home Ultera.

But the Lady Bulldogs are all primed up for another title crack, overpowering the Far Eastern U Lady Tams in their side of the Final Four. NU also holds a 1-0 edge in its finals duel with Ateneo, upending the Loyola-based squad in sudden death in Season 10 championship.

But NU coach Roger Gorayeb will have to plug the hole left by ace guest player and former stalwart Dindin Santiago-Manabat, who is still with the Petron team in an Asian club tournament in Vietnam and will only be able to re-join the team in next week’s Game Two.

“We’re happy to be in the finals. It’s hard to stop Alyssa (Valdez),” said Gorayeb. “What we need to do is to play solid.”

Still, Valdez insists NU has the edge in experience, citing the likes of Jaja Santiago, Myla Pablo, Aiko Urdas and Manabat, all members of the 2013 champion team. NU even re-acquired ace setter Rubie de Leon to bolster their title drive this year.

“We’re looking for a good performance, gain experience and achieve maturity,” said Valdez.”Ours is a young team and this is our first finals together.”

Whatever, the match, to be aired live on GMA News TV Channel 11, promises to be a dogfight with emphasis on execution, blocking and reception not to mention service that could spell the difference in a closely fought contest.

Meanwhile, Far Eastern U shrugged off a shaky start and a third set meltdown as it repulsed University of Santos, 25-17, 25-17, 10-25, 25-20, to seize the headstart in their best-of-three series for third.

The Lady Tams trailed in the early going but picked up their rhythm midway in the first quarter and went on to cruise to victory, sustaining their form in the second, only to reel back in the face of the Tigresses’ strong charge in the third.

But FEU recovered its bearing in time, outlasting UST in the fourth to complete the win in one-hour and 40 minutes. The Lady Tams shoot for the clincher next Saturday.

Bernadeth Pons, who struggled in their semis duel with National U, took charge for FEU this time, firing 16 hits while guest player Jovelyn Gonzaga added 11 and Honey Royce Tubino, Toni Basas, Anne Guino-o, Remy Palma and Jerrilli Malabanan combined for 32 hits.

Ennajie Laure and Pam Lastimosa uncorked a pair of 12-hit games for UST, which also drew a combined 20-point output from Carmela Tunay, Marivic Meneses and Jessey De Leon.