Games Friday
(Rizal Memorial Coliseum)
2 p.m. – UST vs FEU
5 p.m. – CSB vs NU
MANILA, Philippines — Undefeated University of Santo Tomas shores up its twice-to-beat bid while back-to-back reigning champion National University eyes a quick rebound in the second round of the 2024 Shakey’s Super League Collegiate Pre-Season Championship Friday at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum.
Game time is at 2 p.m., with the Tigresses (5-0) looking to extend their perfect campaign in Pool F against the well-rested Far Eastern University (3-0) before the Lady Bulldogs (4-1) shoot for revenge against the NCAA champion St. Benilde (2-2) at 5 p.m. in Pool E.
UST, which swept Pool B in the first round, will ride on the crest of a 25-11, 25-20, 25-17 win against Ateneo to subdue the fresher FEU, which comes from a two-week break.
“Kailangan maglaro nang maayos para manalo. ‘Di naman kami bago sa isa’t isa, nakakailang laro na rin kami buong taon. Basta stick to the system lang and the rest will follow,” said coach Kungfu Reyes as the Tigresses want another diadem after winning the V. League and a runner-up finish in the UAAP Season 86.
Like UST though, FEU is unbeaten in the preseason tourney after wiping out Pool D and should not be a walk in the park for a Top-Two bid and twice-to-beat bonus in the crossover quarterfinals.
But all eyes are on the Lady Bulldogs, whose 28-game winning streak in the SSL since 2022 was snapped by rival La Salle Lady Spikers, 30-32, 25-14, 22-25, 25-21.
NU slid to 4-1 in Pool E, needing to steady the ship to keep its bid for a Top-Two finish and win-once quarterfinal incentive with La Salle (4-0) and University of the East (4-1) by its wings.
St. Benilde, for its part, fell deeper in Pool E at 2-2 with a 19-25, 18-25, 23-25, defeat against UE, making it a perfect chance to deal NU another upset.