Nitura-Poyos showdown highlights Saturday volleyball slate

c/o UAAP Media Team

UAAP Season 87 Collegiate Volleyball Standings

Women
NU 3 0
AdU 2 1
UST 2 1
UP 2 1
FEU 1 2
DLSU 1 2
Ateneo 1 2
UE 0 3

Men
FEU 3 0
UST 2 1
NU 2 1
Ateneo 2 1
AdU 1 2
DLSU 1 2
UP 1 2
UE 0 3

Games Saturday at the SM Mall of Asia Arena

10 a.m. – UST vs AdU (Men)
12 noon – NU vs UE (Men)
2 p.m. – UST vs AdU (Women)
4 p.m. – NU vs UE (Women)

The Saturday volleyball slate at the SM Mall of Asia Arena is set to feature two of the league's top scorers, with Angge Poyos and the University of Santo Tomas going up against Shai Nitura and Adamson University in an explosive match-up, while defending champion National University takes on University of the East today that features the best and worst teams currently in the UAAP Season 87 women's volleyball tournament.

Poyos, who is currently second behind Nitura in scoring, is looking forward to their first-ever showdown in college as the Tigresses and the Lady Falcons vie for their third win at 2 p.m.

"Actually nagkaharap na kami ni Shai nung high school days namin sa UAAP, so, inexpect ko talaga na magaling siya and maraming variations yung palo niya so expect sa Saturday na maganda yung laban ng team sa team ng Adamson," said Poyos, who led UST to a championship appearance in her rookie season last year.

Nitura has made a lot of waves after three matches, highlighted by her 33-point outburst, the highest scoring performance by any rookie ever in the league, on opening weekend.

The former girls MVP, who led the Baby Falcons to a breakthrough championship last year before staying put to San Marcelino for college, is looking forward to meeting again some of her former high school rivals from the Junior Tigresses program.

"Nakalaban po namin yung mga ibang players before, pero of course, nagte-training sila, nag-iimprove sila, same lang din sa other teams at sa amin. We're gonna train more to improve more," said Nitura.

UST and Adamson are locked in a three-way tie in second place with idle University of the Philippines at 2-1.

The Lady Bulldogs are the only unbeaten team with a perfect 3-0 record.

The Tigresses hope to muster a lot of energy in their showdown with the Lady Falcons.

Coming off a 25-13, 22-25, 13-25, 25-23, 15-13 conquest over De La Salle in a grueling five-setter between the two storied rivals last Wednesday, Yani Fernandez, coach Kungfu Reyes' trusted assistant, knows that the fitness of the players will be the key factor if UST wants to pull through against Adamson.

"Of course, kailangan din syempre ng proper recovery ng mga players (dahil) hindi rin basta yung game so parang ang inaabot (nitong laro) two hours and 19 minutes din, di rin basta-basta so, hopefully, ayun nga maka-recover especially itong si Reg (Jurado). Di naka-ensayo ng isang (training) noong Monday yan dahil ayun nga, kumbaga na Michael Jordan, may flu game pero ayun nga, ang kagandahan nanalo kami, diba. So ayun, hopefully, maka-recover yung mga bata, proper rest and then yun, sabak na ulit kami sa Saturday," said Fernandez.

The Lady Falcons quickly defeated the Lady Warriors 25-20, 25-15, 25-12 last Wednesday.

NU is not taking UE lightly in the other women's match at 4 p.m.

"Lagi ko nalang sinasabi na malakas man kalaban or hindi ganun, nasa bottom, yung one point at a time lang yung talagang lagi kong sinasabi sa kanila. So, UE yan, FEU, La Salle, or kahit sino man, ayun yung point, yun lagi yung reminders namin, reminders ko sa palagi sa team. Talagang paghahandaan din talaga namin. Hindi naman importante kung sino yung kalaban eh, ang importante lalabanan mo sila ng maayos," said coach Sherwin Meneses after the Lady Bulldogs went through the wringer before beating the Lady Tamaraws, 25-15, 23-25, 24-26, 25-23, 15-8.

It was the first time that NU was dragged to a five-setter this season, and Meneses liked how his team responded even after FEU took two of the first three sets.

The Lady Warriors, who are starting to feel the effects of a shorthanded roster, are hoping to give the Lady Bulldogs a good fight as they try to move out from a 0-3 start.

In the men's division, UST and NU seek to remain in joint second as they take on Adamson and UE, respectively, starting at 10 a.m.

Coach Odjie Mamon liked what the way the Golden Spikers, as they won two in a row even without injured reigning MVP Josh Ybañez, responded as everyone in the team delivered in their respective roles.

"The result speaks for itself," said Mamon, as UST continued its rise from a season-opening loss to FEU. "So, hanggang ngayon na i-extend nila yung good vibes. Magaan sila sa court, although, yung… ng kalaban, parang no pressure on our part. So, meron isang player na masama, meron agad kapalit. Hindi na ako takot kong alis ng key player kasi everyone is a key player."

The five-peat seeking Bulldogs, meanwhile, hope to pick up the pieces of a 25-27, 14-25, 23-25 defeat to the Tamaraws as they failed to sustain their 2-0 start.

Sporting 1-2 and 0-3 slates, the Falcons and the Red Warriors are hoping to spring surprises against the finalists in the last two seasons.