Lady Spikers back in action for Inter-Collegiate Volleyball

The DLSU Lady Spikers will once again grace the hard court as they set out to defend their back-to-back titles at this year’s Philippine Volleyball Federation National Inter-Collegiate Volleyball Championship, to be held at the Cordillera Career Development College (CCDC) and Benguet State University from May 14 to May 19.

“Kasi back to back champions kami dito [Inter-Collegiate]…may dalawang rookies kami then mix ng mga seniors, and then experiment ‘to kung sino ang pwedeng pumalit sa mga naggraduate kong players and madefend din syempre yung title,” Lady Spikers Head Coach Ramil De Jesus said.

UAAP Season 74 Finals MVP Cha Cruz will not be suiting up for the Green-and-White as she has already exhausted her playing years, but still to lead the Animo charge are mainstays Aby Maraño, Michelle Gumabao, Mika Reyes, Ara Galang and Mika Esperanza.

La Salle has added two rookies to their lineup, namely Mary Joy Baron from Baguio City and Princess Justine Tiu from La Salle College Antipolo.

“Mga walk-in tryouts sila na sinama ko sa team and dito ngayon matetest kung ano yung ability ng mga bata,” Coach De Jesus shared of his rookies.

The Lady Spikers are grouped with Emilio Aguinaldo College, AMA Computer University, Saint Louis University and the University of Baguio in Pool A.

The Lady Spikers and the University of Cordilleras Lady Jaguars, last year’s championship matchup, were given a day-off on the first day of tournament, being the top-seeded teams for their respective brackets.

The ladies in Green will first square off with the University of Baguio Lady Cardinals at the CCDC gym tomorrow at 12 noon.

Their male counterparts, the Green Spikers, bannered by 2011 National Intercollegiate Volleyball Championship MVP Myco Antonio, are slated in the Pool A of the men’s division of the week-long tournament.