DEFENDING champions University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJ-R) Spiking Jaguars and last year’s losing finalist Southwestern University (SWU) Spiking Cobras look to book seats to the semifinals as they take on separate opponents in the Cesafi men’s beach volleyball tournament today at the SWU Sand Courts.
The Spiking Jaguars have been a picture of invincibility this season, having swept their first two games to take the lead in the standings. USJ-R first defeated the University of Southern Philippines Foundation (USPF) before dumping the University of the Visayas (UV).
This afternoon, the Jaguars put their immaculate 2-0 (win-loss) record on the line against the Cebu Institute Technology-University (CIT-U) Wildcats at 1 p.m. A win will put them in the semis.
The 2014 champions Spiking Cobras, on the other hand, totes a 1-1 record, escaping the newbie University of Cebu, 21-18, 21-14, and losing, 21-15, 19-21, 13-15, to an undermanned USPF team that missed the services of new recruit Dan Andrian Garnica due to discrepancies in his transfer papers.
SWU looks to redeem itself from that loss when it takes on CIT-U and UV today with also a seat in the semis at stake.
Also in men’s play, USPF hopes to sustain its momentum when it battles the winless UC.
In the distaff side, third-ranked USPF and fourth-ranked UC eye for better positioning in the semifinal round as they tangle at 3 p.m. Both teams are already assured of spots in the semifinals since only four schools have competed in women’s play this season.
In the girls division, the Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu (SHS-ADC) Magis Eagles aim for a rousing debut when it battles University of San Carlos (USC) and UC while USJ-R goes up against UC and USPF.