NINE teams are seeing action in the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) Season 2 Collegiate Conference which fires off this Saturday at the Filoil Flying V Centre in San Juan City.
Three-time defending champion National University (NU) will begin its post-Jaja Santiago era against eight other teams from University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) and National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).
Besides losing the 6-foot-5 star who led the team to all of its three titles, the Lady Bulldogs would also be playing without setter Jasmine Nabor and spiker Jorelle Singh, who were dropped from the line-up.
NU Head Coach Babes Castillo will be parading a rookie-laden line-up led by Joyme Cagande, Ivy Lacsina, Princess Robles and libero Jennifer Nierva. They will be guided by mainstays Roselyn Doria and Aubrey Paran.
Far Eastern University (FEU), last year’s runner-up and UAAP runner-up, will also begin life without star Bernadeth Pons. Left to carry the cudgels for Head Coach George Pascua are Toni Rose Basas, Heather Guino-o, Jerrili Malabanan, Celine Domingo and setter Kyle Negrito.
Also seeing action are the Eya Laure-led University of Santo Tomas (UST), University of the Philippines (UP) and Adamson University as well as NCAA teams led by Cesca Racraquin-powered San Beda University, San Sebastian College, College of Saint Benilde and University of Perpetual Help.
Ten teams—NU, FEU, DLSU, San Beda, Adamson, UP, UST, Arellano University, Perpetual Help and Saint Benilde—will see action in the men’s division.
Ateneo de Manila will skip the tournament.
The top four teams after the single-round eliminations in both divisions will advance to a race-to-two semifinals. All games will be played at the Filoil Flying V Centre except for one women’s out-of-town clash between FEU and UST in Cagayan de Oro City on August 25.