Prized hitters and former high school rivals Angge Poyos of University of Santo Tomas (UST) and super rookie Shai Nitura of Adamson University face off Saturday in a hotly-contested encounter in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines Season 87 volleyball competitions at the Mall of Asia Arena.
In the main event, defending champion National University (NU) takes on the University of the East (UE) at 4 p.m. following the 2 p.m. showdown between UST and Adamson.
UST’s Angge Poyos, who erupted for 28 points in their thrilling victory over De La Salle University last Wednesday, will be in for a treat as she and Nitura duke it out.
“I’ve already faced Shai during our high school days in the UAAP, so I really expected her to be good and to have a lot of variations in her attacks,” Poyos said.
Nitura, who has been making waves early in the season, delivered a stunning 33-point performance during opening the weekend and is eager to face former foes from the Junior Tigresses program.
"We’ve competed against some of these players before, but of course, they’re training and improving — just like other teams and us. We’re going to train even more to keep improving,” Nitura said.
UST and Adamson are currently tied for second place along with University of the Philippines (UP), holding identical 2-1 records.
The Golden Tigresses aim to summon all their energy for this pivotal encounter against the Lady Falcons.
"Of course, proper recovery for the players is also important because the game isn’t easy. It lasted around two hours and 19 minutes, so it’s quite demanding. Hopefully, they can recover well,” UST assistant coach Yani Fernandez said.
Meanwhile, the Lady Bulldogs remain wary of the Lady Warriors.
"I always tell them to take it one point at a time, whether the opponent is strong or not, even if they’re at the bottom. That’s always my message to them,” NU head coach Sherwin Meneses emphasized.
“We always prepare well. It doesn’t matter who the opponent is. What matters is that we face them properly and give our best.”
NU recently endured its first five-setter of the season against Far Eastern University (FEU), with Meneses raving about his squad’s resilience despite dropping two of the first three sets.
On the other hand, UE, struggling with a shorthanded roster, is still searching for its first victory after a 0-3 start.
In men’s play, UST takes on Adamson at 10 a.m., hoping to maintain its strong form.
UST Golden Spikers hold a 2-1 record and have won back-to-back matches even without their injured reigning Most Valuable Player Josh Ybañez.
Head coach Odjie Mamon is pleased with how his team has stepped up in Ybañez’s absence.
“The result speaks for itself.”
“Even now, they continue to bring good vibes. If one player isn’t performing well, there’s always an immediate replacement. I’m no longer afraid if a key player has to step out because everyone is a key player.”
