For the La Salle Lady Green Spikers, a title-retention bid will be a difficult thing to achieve in the UAAP Season 86 women’s volleyball tournament.
Noel Orcullo, one of the coaches of the Lady Green Spikers, said this going into their first game at the start of competitions this Saturday at the Mall of Asia Arena.
But don’t tell that to the rest of the league, which believes the Green Spikers are one of the league’s favorites.
The Lady Green Spikers are the team to beat, and members of the squad are aware of this.
“Lahat ay malakas. Ang hirap sa amin ay kami ang hinahabol dahil kami ang defending champion,” said Orcullo, during Monday’s press conference at the Mall of Asia Arena.
The Lady Spikers showed their game shape last month when they turned back a multi-titled Thailand club Supreme VC in a friendly match.
La Salle won four out of five sets in a tune-up game, 25-23, 25-15, 25-22, 20-25, 15-10, during their training camp in Thailand.
UAAP Season 85 Rookie-MVP Angel Canino, Best Middle Blocker Thea Gagate and Shakey’s Super League (SSL) National Invitationals MVP Shevana Laput are expected to return.
Canino, Gagate and Laput are stepping up, now that four veterans, season 85 Best Outside Spiker Jolina dela Cruz, Best Setter Mars Alba, middle blocker Fifi Sharma and ace libero Justine Jazareno have graduated.
“Nandu’n ang improvement nila, every day,” added Orcullo.
The Lady Spikers ruled UAAP Season 85 with only one loss through their entire campaign, including a 2-0 sweep of former champion National University for the crown.
Coach Ramil Cruz is now preparing the Lady Archers for an opportunity to keep the title they won at the expense of National University Lady Bulldogs last year.