NIKOLE JAVIER

La Salle makes its much-awaited debut against one of four teams going for back-to-back wins Saturday in the Shakey’s Super League Collegiate Pre-season Championship at the Rizal Memorial Stadium in Manila. 

The La Salle Lady Spikers – the last squad to join the rebranded tournament – collide against the Far Eastern University Lady Tamaraws at 5:30 p.m. in a game that will cap another quadruple-header as the league resumes after its Sunday games were postponed due to super typhoon Karding.

Out to lead the Taft-based school determined to reclaim its status as the country’s top collegiate squad are Jolina dela Cruz, Fifi Sharma, Mars Alba, Leila Cruz, Leiah Malaluan and Thea Gagate.

Despite La Salle’s star-studded crew, the Lady Tamaraws will go into the game with a sky-high confidence following a stunning five-set win over NCAA champion College of St. Benilde.

Apart from FEU, also going for their second straight wins are University of Santo Tomas, University of the East and University of Perpetual Help.

UE and UPH – who likewise scored similar 5-set wins over their respective rivals in the opener – clash for the solo lead in Pool A at 12:30 p.m. while Ateneo and Arellano University open their respective campaigns in the 3 p.m. Pool C encounter.

Eya Laure, who delivered the finishing blow in UST’s hard-fought 25-20, 27-29, 15-25, 29-27, 15-10 victory over Adamson last week, leads the charge of the Espana-based squad with young guns Mary Joyce Abueg, Bernadette Pepito, Angeli Bacalso and Regina Jurado as back up.

Games will air live via Plus Network on Facebook, YouTube and TikTok.