Lady Bulldogs aim to go 3-0, clash with Lady Tamaraws

NU Lady Bulldogs

(UAAP Media Bureau)

Games Saturday

(Mall of Asia Arena)

9 a.m. – UE vs ADU (men)

11 a.m. – NU vs FEU (men)

1 p.m. – UE vs ADU (women)

3 p.m. – FEU vs NU (women)

MANILA, Philippines — Reigning champion and unbeaten National University tries to run away from the pack against the gritty Far Eastern University in the UAAP Season 88 women’s volleyball tournament today at the Mall of Asia Arena.

Action sizzles at 3 p.m., with the Lady Bulldogs out to defy projections of a rebuilding era following the graduation of their championship core for a 3-0 start bid, which would only shore up their three-peat goal amid a hectic schedule so far.

NU marches into duel playing its third straight match this opening week after taking care of business against University of Santo Tomas, 25-23, 25-19, 23-25, 26-24, and Adamson, 25-23, 25-19, 28-26.

"Siyempre, management talaga siya. This is not just a challenge for me, but of course, it's a challenge for all of the teams in the UAAP. So, we just prepare, and yung mindset talaga namin is ito na talaga yung mangyayari,” said new mentor Regine Diego, taking over from Sherwin Meneses in the off season.

“We cannot do anything about this but manage our stress and our recovery because recovery is also equivalent to training. We also have to practice din ‘yung pagsa-scout sa kalaban and just do kung ano yung best din namin.”

In both wins, the Lady Bulldogs leaned on super rookie and former UAAP juniors MVP Sam Cantada with 37 combined points, embracing the mantle of responsibility to complete NU’s three-peat on the heels of the exit by Belen, Alyssa Solomon, Sheena Toring and Erin Pangilinan.

Those four headlined the Lady Bulldogs’ Super Six in the past four seasons in which they made the finals each year for three overall crowns, leaving setter Lams Lamina and new captain Vange Alinsug as the only remnants.

And FEU is no illusion that NU has now cracks and dents to its queendom even with the departure of those key cogs, especially with Cantada proving to be as ready as ever even in her debut season.

"With the addition of Sam, matibay talaga sila. Pero ‘yun nga, process pa rin kung paano namin sila paghahandaan. Hindi madaling kalaban ang NU kasi buo sila. Maganda yung connection nila tapos yung key components ng first six nila, talagang mga key player. So, naghahanda talaga kami nang matindi. Patayan talaga sa training," said Lady Tamaraws ace setter Tin Ubaldo.

Good for FEU, which forced NU to a do-or-die in the Final Four last season, it will have some momentum to ride on after a 25-20, 25-14, 25-14 win over the University of the East (0-2) to avenge its opener defeat against title contender La Salle, 25-19, 25-14, 27-25.

Meanwhile, the Bulldogs seek the same 3-0 mission in the men’s side to bolster their six-peat bid against the Tamaraws (2-0) at 11 a.m. for an early rematch of last year’s finalists.

Adamson (1-1) and Ateneo (0-1) then clash in the women’s and men’s divisions at 9 a.m. and 1 p.m., respectively.