Bulldogs, Tigresses eye 3rd wins in V-League Collegiate Challenge

MANILA – National University hopes to keep its winning form against University of Santo Tomas in the V-League Collegiate Men's Challenge at Paco Arena in Manila on Sunday.

The Bulldogs and Golden Spikers, both finalists in the UAAP for the past two years, meet at 3 p.m.

"Paghahandaan pa rin namin kung ano ginagawa namin sa practice. Importante lang ay sa everyday na practice, dapat nag-i-improve and every game, based sa situations, dapat mag-improve pa (We will still make the same preparations in practice. It is important that in everyday practice, we must improve and in every game, based on the situation, we have to improve more)," NU coach Dante Alinsunurin said.

While NU is on a two-game streak, UST has lost its first two games, the last against co-leader De La Salle University (2-0), 19-25, 25-27, 25-23, 20-25, on Aug. 7.

The other game will pit Ateneo de Manila University (1-1) against winless Letran (0-2) at 5 p.m.

Aimar Okeke will banner the Blue Eagles, who bowed to the Far Eastern University Tamaraws, 26-24, 22-25, 18-25, 27-29, on Aug. 4, while the Knights fell to Perpetual Help, 19-25, 22-25, 25-20, 25-21, 13-15, also on Aug. 7.

In the women's division, league-leading UST (2-0) takes on FEU (1-1) at 12 noon.

Regina Jurado and Bien Arasan will lead the Golden Tigresses while the Lady Tamaraws will bank on Faida Bakanke, Jean Asis and Tin Ubaldo.

"Kung ano 'yung mga kulang namin, 'yun ang pagtutuunan namin. Kung saan kami medyo mahina pa, pagtutuunan namin ng pansin. At yung consistency ng transition namin, 'yon naman ang importante (We will focus on what we lack and where we are still a little weak. And the consistency of our transition, that is what's important)," UST coach Kungfu Reyes said.

Defending V-League champion College of St. Benilde (1-1) will rely on Rhea Densing and Wielyn Estoque when it battles University of the Philippines (2-1), led by Nina Ytang and Kassandra Doering, at 10 a.m.

Meanwhile, the Lady Bulldogs withdrew from the tournament as they will attend training camps in Taiwan and join the VTV Cup in Ninh Bình, Vietnam. (PNA)