The UE Lady Warriors battle the UP Fighting Maroons with a chip on their shoulder in the opening game of UAAP Seaosn 87 women's volleyball.
The UE Lady Warriors are looking to kick off UAAP Season 87 women's volleyball on a winning note as they take on the UP Fighting Maroons on Saturday, 1:00 p.m. at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
UE, which finished sixth last season with a 3-11 record, is eager to improve upon its performance and push for a higher standing this year. Leading the charge for the Lady Warriors will be Khy Cepada and Angelica Reyes, who are expected to provide scoring and stability for a squad in transition but looking to make noise early.
Their first test comes against a rebuilding UP team that finished at the bottom of the standings last season at 1-13.
The Maroons, however, remain a threat with veterans Niña Ytang and Nica Celis leading the way, alongside rookies Kianne Olango and Yesha Noceja. Last season, UE and UP split their head-to-head matchups, making this opener a crucial tone-setter for both teams.
Adding an extra layer of intrigue, UP recently secured the commitments of several former UE standouts—including highly touted scorer Casiey Dongallo—for next season. While those departures won’t impact this match directly, the
Lady Warriors will be motivated to prove that their current core remains a force to be reckoned with.
[RELATED: UE’s Khy Cepada stays resilient after key players leave for UP: 'Wala kasing hard feelings’]
Will UE start the season with a statement win, or will UP pull off an upset?
(With reports from Luisa Morales)
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[Editor's note: This article was written by a member of the One Sports Digital with the help of AI, and then checked by the staff to ensure accuracy.]