NU eyes quick UAAP Season 88 payback against winless UE

Games on Wednesday
(Smart Araneta Coliseum)
9 a.m. – UE vs NU (Men)
11 a.m. – Ateneo vs FEU (Men)
1 p.m. – UE vs NU (Women)
3 p.m. – Ateneo vs FEU (Women)

AFTER absorbing its first scar, National University (NU) guns for a quick vengeance against cellar-dweller University of the East (UE) to stabilize its title defense in the UAAP Season 88 women’s volleyball on Wednesday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The NU Lady Bulldogs succumbed to the UP Fighting Maroons last week in a thrilling marathon to settle for joint second place at 3-1 with their tormentors behind De La Salle University that has seized the leadership at 4-0.

The back-to-back reigning champions want to stay within striking distance with a win at 1 p.m. against the UE Lady Red Warriors (0-4) before the clash between also winless Ateneo de Manila University (0-4) and Far Eastern University (2-2) at 3 p.m. Their men’s teams raise the curtains at 9 a.m. and 11 a.m., respectively.

And the NU Lady Bulldogs have to do it possibly without super rookie Sam Cantada, whose status remains uncertain after going down with a right shin injury in their defeat to the UP Fighting Maroons following an accidental collision with libero IC Cepada.

The Ms. Cantada-led NU, in a rebuilding stage following the exit of Bella Belen and company, took care of its first three games only to melt down against the beefed-up UP side under new mentor Fabio Menta from Italy.

The young duo of Ms. Cantada and Arah Panique alongside team captain Vange Alinsug — the only remnant of NU’s championship core — ran roughshod in a 2-0 set start but got blanked the rest of the way in a reverse sweep.

Against UE this time around that’s in the thick of 18 straight losses since last season, the wards of coach Regine Diego are not keen on falling to complacency trap once more to get back on track right away entering their final first-round matches against Ateneo and rival La Salle.

KC Cepada and Nessa Bangayan spearhead the UE Lady Red Warriors’ upset bid. — John Bryan Ulanday