ATENEO de Manila and Far Eastern University (FEU) begin their campaigns with an explosive collision in Season 80 University Athletic Association of the Philippines women’s volleyball tournament today at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
The season is only on its second day, and an early clash of the titans will take place between the Lady Eagles, who were in the Finals for the past six seasons with two titles and four runner-up finishes, and the Lady Tamaraws, the most successful team in the league with 29 titles.
The match is set at 4 p.m., right after the 2 p.m. clash between University of the Philippines (UP) and University of the East (UE).
The Lady Maroons will parade new Head Coach Godfrey Okumu of Kenya againt the Lady Red Warriors mentored by Francis Vicente, who is now on his fourth year with the team seeking to surpass the measly two wins they booked in the past three seasons.
In men’s action, Ateneo opens its campaign for a rare “four-peat” opposite FEU at 10 a.m. UP clashes with UE at 8 p.m.
Ateneo is coming off a dramatic preseason after losing three important players—ace playmaker Jia Morado, who decided to forgo her final playing year; Michelle Morente, because of academic issues and is now completing her residency at De La Salle; and libero Gizelle Tan, who exhausted all her five playing years.
The Lady Eagles also had an issue with the “hard” training under Head Coach Tai Bundit that almost cost him his job..
Newly appointed team captain Maddie Madayag clarified everything’s well with the Lady Eagles.
“It [crisis with Bundit] made us stronger. We already passed that phase. We learned to trust the process and trust the coaches,” Madayag said. “I don’t want anyone to expect anything. The team’s just going to play its game—the usual happy, heart strong.”
Ateneo has a talented rotation composed of spikers led by 6-foot-3 Kat Tolentino, Bea de Leon, Jhoana Maraguinot and setter Deanna Wong.
The Lady Tamaraws, meanwhile, are playing under new Head Coach George Pascua, who is tasked to end a 10-year title drought.
“We will take it one match at a time, but every game will be a championship game—as if it’s our last game,” said Pascua, who already won multiple titles as a player and coach of FEU’s men’s team.
Pascua is hoping that graduating player Bernadeth Pons, Toni Rose Basas, Jerrili Malabanan, Heather Guino-o, setter Kyle Negrito, transferee Celine Domingo (from UE) and libero Buding Duremdes could easily absorb his system and translate their hunger to a success.
Rose Marie Vargas, who played from Season 71 to 75, was supposed to return to the lineup after five years but suffered a ruptured left Achilles tendon.
FEU will also play without the leadership of former skipper Remy Palma.