The Perpetual Help Junior Altas teams are set to launch another title bid as the NCAA Volleyball Fiesta Season 101 opens on Monday at the Arellano University Gym in Pasay City, with the Las Piñas-based squads aiming to reclaim glory in the girls’ division and extend their reign in the boys’ competition.
Fresh from a runner-up finish in Season 100, the Perpetual Junior Altas Girls, who are seeking to bring the championship back to Las Piñas, face La Salle Greenhills at 9 a.m. in the tournament opener.
The match will also serve as an early test of the offseason preparations of coaches Sandy Rieta and Jason Sapin.
Leading the girls’ squad under team manager Anton Tamayo are holdovers Jasmine Monte (setter and team captain), Sherrie Rose Acosta, Isabel Baser, Ram Panganiban, Kayesha David, Toledo, Ashanthy Felizardo, and ace libero Janie Espiritu.
They will be reinforced by Imus City standouts Michaela Boticario and Elizha Joyce Sildo, alongside rookies Chrisline Ashley Ajid, Lut Angeline Bacalla, Joycell Casil, Arianne Casillan, Rihanna Criztelle Corpuz, Ashley Deanon, Keilla Kolby Demillo, and Jhurrys Rosales.
Seven teams—Perpetual, La Salle Greenhills, San Beda University, Jose Rizal University, Emilio Aguinaldo College, Lyceum of the Philippines University, and Arellano University—will compete in a single round-robin format. The top four teams will advance to the Final Four, with the top two seeds enjoying a twice-to-beat advantage.
Meanwhile, the defending champion Perpetual Junior Altas Spikers aim to secure back-to-back titles as the boys’ division opens under a new format patterned after the basketball tournament. Teams are divided into Group A and Group B for a single round elimination.
Multi-titled coach Rieta will parade nine rookies, including Symon Suyat of Baguio City, Daryll John Torio, and Cholo Bustamante of Pangasinan, filling the void left by graduates Nathan Ciriaco, Zyro Ornos, Miguel Dela Cruz, Resty Santos, and Charles Concina, now playing at the senior level.
Rieta, who is targetting his 14th overall championship—seven of them under his stewardship—will rely on veterans Gabriel Macatuno (team captain), Limuel Valderama, libero JM Regorosa, and Finals MVP John Lat, alongside rookies Jared Diez, Kiel Remorino, Tad Castillo, Raven Gale, Donald Sison, and Yuri Espeho.
Per the tournament bracket, Group A features Perpetual, EAC, Mapua (Malayan), San Beda University, and San Sebastian College–Recoletos, while Group B includes Letran, JRU, Arellano, La Salle Greenhills, and LPU GenTri.
A play-in round will determine the fourth semifinalist in each group, with the No. 4 and No. 5 teams battling for the right to face the top seed, which holds a twice-to-beat edge.
Last season, the Junior Altas capped a dominant campaign highlighted by 11 straight wins, including a nine-game elimination sweep, before edging the Letran Squires in a dramatic best-of-three Finals.
Perpetual sealed the title in a do-or-die Game 3, winning 25–21, 23–25, 21–25, 25–17, 15–9, to clinch the series, 2–1, and return the crown to Las Piñas.
