Games today:
(Smart Araneta Coliseum)
10 a.m. — Adamson vs FEU (m)
12 p.m. — La Salle vs UE (m)
2 p.m. — Adamson vs FEU (w)
4 p.m. — La Salle vs UE (w)
De La Salle University seeks to join league-leader University of Santo Tomas atop the leaderboard when the University Athletic Association of the Philippines Season 86 women’s volleyball action returns today in a rare Tuesday offering at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The Lady Spikers (8-1), who played without reigning Most Valuable Player Angel Canino due to a right arm injury last time out against University of the Philippines (UP), are keen to continue their winning ways against a struggling University of the East (2-7) side in the 4 p.m. duel.
Fourth-running Far Eastern University (FEU) will go face-to-face against skidding Adamson University in the 2 p.m. curtain raiser in the women’s side.
Shevana Laput, who led La Salle to a hard four-set escape over UP last Thursday, is determined to fill the huge hole left by Canino, who has no timetable yet for her return.
“Of course with Angel, we’re not sure, but definitely there’s the need to step up so I guess there’s that pressure but I’m glad that my team and the coaches have that trust in me but it’s only not just me, there’s Ate Leiah, there’s Ate Maicah, all of us. It just so happened that this game I had the most points,” said Laput, who fired 21 points against the Fighting Maroons.
Aside from Laput, also expected to bring in the goods are Jyne Soreño, Alleiah Malaluan and Maicah Larroza.
On the other hand, rising rookie Casiey Dongallo looks to carry UE to its third win while continuing to long for more offensive support from her teammates.
FEU, for its part, knows that even though it is ahead by 2.5 games to closest pursuer Ateneo de Manila University, the last Final Four spot is not theirs yet.
FEU is currently at 5-4 while Ateneo is at 3-7. Its opponent, Adamson, is at 2-7 on a five-game slump.
Faida Bakanke reset her career-high last Thursday against the Blue Eagles with 16 points while Gerzel Petallo and Chenie Tagaod stayed as the rock of the Lady Tamaraws as they seek to return to the semifinals for the first time since Season 80.
Adamson head coach JP Yude will continue to look for the right combination of players to finally halt their slide.
