MANILA, Philippines – University of the Philippines (UP) Lady Maroons and the Far Eastern University (FEU) Lady Tamaraws fight for the early lead when the UAAP Season 81 women’s volleyball gets going again on Wednesday, February 20, 4 pm, at the Filoil Flying V Centre. 

Both the Lady Maroons and the Lady Tamaraws, the 2018 Premier Volleyball League (PVL) Collegiate Conference finalists, shoot for back-to-back wins after disposing of separate opponents in the opening weekend.  

Ateneo – the only team in the double-header that has yet to crash in the win column – will open the day’s games against the University of Santo Tomas Golden Tigresses at 2 pm. 

Last September, UP copped its first PVL title after sweeping FEU in two five-set thrillers in the best-of-three preseason series. 

But the Lady Maroons look to improve on their opening-game performance against University of the East as they were tested by the Lady Warriors’ excellent floor defense. 

The Lady Tamaraws, last season’s UAAP runners-up, also took home an opening-game win versus a rookie-laden National University squad. 

FEU rookie Lycha Ebon – who topscored for the Tamaraws with 13 points – will go head-to-head again with the opening weekend’s best scorer Isa Molde, who unloaded 23 points.

The Lady Eagles, meanwhile, aim to bounce back from their loss to three-peat champion La Salle, but the Tigresses might just exploit Ateneo’s poor defense with their scoring firepower. 

Ateneo tallied the lowest the digging and reception statistics with a 32.57% efficiency in last weekend’s games.

Top UST rookie Eya Laure kept pace with veteran spiker Sisi Rondina as both scored 17 points apiece to lead the Tigresses to their first opening-game win in 7 years.  – Rappler.com