COLLEGE of St. Benilde’s Lady Blazers and Perpetual Help’s Altas are on a similar mission in the 100th NCAA volleyball tournament set to kick off tomorrow, Thursday, at the San Sebastian gym.
While the Altas are gunning for a five-peat in the men’s section, the Lady Blazers are eyeing a four-peat in the women’s event.
But that is easier said than done. After all, both teams are ranged against 11 other teams.
Unlike the previous years, the tournament will be a double-round elimination, with action in the first round to be held at school gyms before going to The Arena in San Juan for the second round.
After the San Sebastian College gym for the opening week, the action goes to the San Beda University, followed by the Lyceum of the Philippines University, Arellano University, Jose Rizal University, Emilio Aguinaldo College, Perpetual, and back to San Sebastian to mark the end of the first round.
The tournament will be played every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, unlike in the past when action was held for five days.
In the opening game quadruple-header, battling in the curtain-raiser at 9 a.m. are the CSB Blazers and the EAC Generals, to be followed by their women’s counterparts at 11 o’clock. In the afternoon, Letran’s Knights will take on the San Beda Red Spikers at 1 p.m. before their women’s teams take to the court at 3 o’clock.
The Jerry Yee-mentored Lady Blazers are out to maintain their dominance behind a roster bidding to pick up from where Cloanne Mondonedo, Gayle Pascual and Michelle Gamit left off. The playing years of the three are over.
Last season’s bridesmaids, the Letran Lady Knights, along with last year’s semi-finalists – Lyceum Lady Pirates and Arellano Lady Chiefs – are also out to showcase their skills.
In the men’s side, Perpetual aims to keep its championship run going even without MVP and national team member Louie Ramirez and the passing of multi-titled head mentor Sammy Acaylar last month.
The title-hungry EAC Generals, last year’s runners-up, along with the Letran Knights and Arellano Chiefs, are also expected to contend.
