BY ABBY TORALBA
NATIONAL University and Ateneo take on separate foes today in the knockout quarterfinals of the V-League Men’s Collegiate Challenge at the Paco Arena in Manila.
The Bulldogs, who topped Pool A with a 5-0 slate, will clash with Pool B’s fourth-seeded squad, San Beda University, at 10 a.m., while the Blue Eagles, who went 4-1, will tackle rival La Salle at 3 p.m.
NU completed a pool play sweep after trouncing the Green Spikers 25-20, 25-15, 25-18 last Wednesday, while the Red Spikers finished their group stage stint with a win against Perpetual 25-18, 25-22, 20-25, 25-18.
“Sobrang importante nitong panalo na ito kasi alam mo naman iyong nagiging sitwasyon kapag ikaw iyong number one,” Bulldogs coach Dante Alinsunurin said after his team’s win over La Salle.
“Magiging advantage ito pagdating ng quarterfinals kasi alam nila na wala kaming talo,” he added.
Nico Almendras, Mike Buddin, Obed Mukaba, Choi Diao, Kennry Malinis and Joshua Retamar of NU are expected lead the way for NU.
San Beda will bank on Axel Book, Kevin Montemayor, Kenrod Umali, Lorenz Calayag, Andrie Bakil and Jerome Lopez.
University of Santo Tomas Tiger Spikers and the Altas also will go up against equally determined foes in the quarters.
Perpetual tangles with Pool A’s No. 3 squad in Arellano University at 1 p.m., while Tiger Spikers, likewise, seek to oust Pool B’s third-seed team Far Eastern University at 5:30.
