SCHEDULE: UAAP Season 87 volleyball tournament first round

MANILA, Philippines —After the interesting off-season movements, several storylines have emerged for the upcoming UAAP Season 87 women’s volleyball tournament, which opens on February 15.

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In one of the biggest stories entering the the season, National University tapped decorated PVL champion coach Sherwin Meneses paving the for another expected strong showing for the defendong champions.

Perennial contenders University of Santo Tomas, La Salle, and Far Eastern University also try to find their way to the top after missing the opportunity last year.

The four remaining schools will also usher in new eras with the University of the Philippines fielding newcomers under new mentor Benson Bocboc and the University of the East seeking to rise after the exodus of star Casiey Dongallo along with Kizzie Madriaga, Jelai Gajero and others.

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Ateneo also enters its second year with Brazilian coach Sergio Veloso coaching Lyann De Guzman, AC Miner, and the Blue Eagles, while Adamson, whose core turned pro, opens the era of super rookie and homegrown talent Shaina Nitura.

Inquirer Sports gives you a guide of the marquee matchups in the first round:

UE Lady Warriors vs team of their former stars

FILE–Former UE Lady Warriors syar Casiey Dongallo now with the UP Fighting Maroons in the UAAP. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

Right on opening day, an interesting game raises the curtains of the new season as UE, which lost Dongallo and the whole California Academy core, battles the new school of its former players, UP, on Saturday at Mall of Asia Arena.

READ: UAAP: Casiey Dongallo transfer to UP now official

UE will be banking on holdovers Kai Cepada, Riza Nogales, and Angelica Reyes under interim coach Allan Mendoza, one of the former assistant coaches of Dr. Obet Vital, who is now working for UP with coach Bocboc. It will also be parading rookies Kianne Olango and Yesha Noceja, one-and-done Kassy Doering as well as mainstays Nica Celis and Nina Ytang.

The opening day also offers the classic rivalry of UST and FEU both in men’s and women’s volleyball. 

FEU has brought back Tina Salak at the helm and she opens her comeback season against her Army coach KungFu Reyes, whom she recently faced in the championship of the V-League Collegiate Challenge ruled by the Tigresses.

READ: UAAP: Tina Salak returns as FEU Lady Tamaraws coach

The Tigresses, however, lost two key spikers before the season after Jonna Perdido suffered an ACL injury, while spark plug Xyza Gula was ruled out with a fractured tailbone.

UST will heavily on last year’s top rookie Angge Poyos, libero captain Detdet Pepito, setter Cassie Carballo, wing spiker Reg Jurado, and rookie Marga Altea.

The Lady Tamaraws, who forced NU to a do-or-die Final Four game but still fell short last year, will flex a stacked line-up with Chenie Tagaod, Gerz Petallo, Tin Ubaldo, Faida Bakanke, Jean Asis, and transferee Jaz Ellarina.

Sherwin Meneses back in the UAAP

NU Lady Bulldogs coach Sherwin Meneses during the UAAP Season 87 women’s volleyball tournament press conference. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

On Sunday,  New NU coach Sherwin Meneses will get a fitting UAAP comeback as the seven-time PVL champion coach battles the most successful collegiate coach in Ramil De Jesus and the  La Salle Lady Spikers.

It will be an interesting rematch of the Season 84 to 86 finalists as NU, led by two-time MVP Bella Belen and Finals MVP Alyssa Solomon, opens its title-retention bid, while Angel Canino, the second rookie MVP after Belen, and La Salle kick off their redemption season after losing the title last year with a Final Four exit at the hands of the twice-to-beat UST.

READ: UAAP: Sherwin Meneses raring for return with unfazed NU

Meneses becomes the biggest addition to the intact NU, while La Salle turns to Canino, Shevana Laput, Em Provido, Jillian Santos, and Alleiah Malaluan.

There will be an early Final Four rematch with NU battling FEU on February 23. La Salle and UST figure in a grudge match on Feb.26. 

Bocboc takes on his mentors

New UP Fighting Maroons coach Benson Bocboc. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

UP coach Bocboc battles his mentors De Jesus and deputy Noel Orcullo on March 2 at MOA Arena. The longtime La Salle assistant coach looks to step out of the shadows of his former team when he calls the shots for the Fighting Maroons.

On March 12, there might be a more interesting story than Ateneo-La Salle rivalry as Meneses, who last coached in the UAAP in 2016, battles his alma mater, Adamson.

Finals rematch

UST Tigresses and NU Lady Bulldogs meet at center court after the UAAP Season 86 women’s volleyball finals. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

On March 16, both men’s and women’s squads of NU and UST clash in a Finals rematch at Smart Araneta Coliseum to close the first round.

Alas Pilipinas stars and coaches also clash in the men’s rematch with two-time MVP Josh Ybañez and the Golden Spikers taking on his Philippine squad teammates Buds Buddin and Jade Disquitado and the rest of the Bulldogs.

NU coach Dante Alinsunurin and UST coach Odjie Mamon, the staff of Italian Alas coach Angiolino Frigoni, will have another chess match after their duel in the past two UAAP Finals won by the Bulldogs on their way to a historic ‘four-peat’.