‘Big 3’ stay unscathed in women’s volleyball

DEFENDING champion University of Baguio, together with Saint Louis University and the University of the Cordilleras, stay unbeaten by edging their respective foes in the ongoing women’s volleyball competition of the 26th Baguio-Benguet Educational Athletic League.

The reigning women’s titlist UB Lady Cardinals made another short work of Baguio Central University Lady Eagles, 25-7, 25-9, 25-11, before dispatching Cordillera Career Development College Lady Admirals, 25-12, 25-16, 25-15 during the weekend.

SLU Lady Navigators, owner of the best championship record in the 90s, hope to regain its winning tradition by topping the CCDC Lady Admirals, 25-17, 25-19, 25-9 before nipping the University of the Philippines–Baguio Lady Maroons, 25-4, 25-13, 25-17.

“Although we have a relatively young team, we will be there against the city’s best volleyball squads,” said SLU athletic director Henry Fuentes in an earlier interview.

Fuentes was referring to rivals UB where they lost in last year’s championship, a three time defending champion, and six peat winner UC Lady Jaguars.

The former coach now turned athletic director was the mastermind of the nine straight men’s crown and eight straight women’s titles for the city’s biggest university with almost 25,000 students.

Despite a depleted line-up, the Lady Jaguars also stayed on course for a return to the championship by whipping the UP Lady Maroons in three straight sets, 25-5, 25-8, 25-21.

“Although kulang kami sa players, lalaban pa rin kami,” said Lady Jaguars coach Ysang Tolentino, who was also instrumental in their school’s six straight championships from 2005 to 2010.

The Lady Jaguars are set to test the mettle of the CCDC Lady Admirals, one of the final four contenders in today’s game, September 5, at the UC gym which starts 3:30 p.m.

Meanwhile, the BCU Lady Eagles survived a fighting Pines City Colleges Lady Warriors in four sets, 25-22, 25-13, 20-25, 25-11.