College of Saint Benilde expects to dominate on a team built around players coming off a stint in the pro league as the Lady Blazers tangle with the Lyceum of the Philippines U Lady Pirates at resumption of the V-League Collegiate Challenge at the Paco Arena in Manila on Friday.
Gayle Pascual, Jade Gentapa, Michelle Gamit, Wielyn Estoque and Cloanne Mondonedo hope to use the experience they gained while playing for the Farm Fresh in the Premier Volleyball League as the defending NCAA champions take on the Lady Pirates starting at 2 p.m. with an eye on breaking the UAAP’s dominance in the league organized by Sports Vision Management Group Inc.
St. Benilde is also going all-out to re-assert its mastery of Lyceum which it swept to secure its second straight championship in the Grand Old League last April that extended the Lady Blazers’ win run to 29 games.
The Lady Pirates, however, are no pushovers with reigning NCAA Best Setter Venice Puzon, who also saw action with the PLDT in the PVL, anchoring the team’s campaign in the tournament backed by Bola.TV, Beyond Active Wear, ASICS and Mikasa.
In the other women's game at 4 p.m., University of Perpetual Help System DALTA collides with long-standing NCAA rival San Sebastian College-Recoletos.
Meanwhile, University of Santo Tomas ushers in the four-game bill aired on Solar TV, the official V-League website, and Bola.TV, as it faces De La Salle University with the reigning UAAP Rookie MVP Josh Ybanez leading the Golden Spikers’ drive.
The Altas, on the other hand, aim for their second consecutive victory at 12 noon as they battle the San Beda Red Spikers, to be handled by head coach Edgar Barroga for the first time.
The Altas held off the Emilio Aguinaldo College side. 29-27, 26-24, 25-19, in the tournament’s inaugurals last Wednesday while National U fended off Far Eastern U, 25-22, 25-22, 25-19.
In women’s play, University of the East and Far Eastern U swept Enderun College and Mapua U, 25-16, 25-16, 25-20, and 25-13, 25-18, 25-15, respectively.
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