After skipping V-League, DLSU Lady Spikers seek clearance to play in Superliga

AFTER time and again skipping the Shakey's V-League, UAAP champions De La Salle Lady Spikers are looking to take their act to the new Philippine Superliga set to unfurl on July 6.

La Salle representative to the UAAP board Henry Atayde said on Wednesday the school is seeking clearance from the UAAP to compete in the Superliga, which its organizers hope would evolve into the country's first professional volleyball league.

The clearance is necessary to avoid any problems with the eligibility of players, among other possible issues, in the collegiate league when the Lady Spikers defend their UAAP title in November.

“We already sent the letter Monday to the UAAP,” Atayde said.

The Lady Spikers, led by UAAP co-MVPs Abi Marano and Ara Galang, will be entered as a guest team and will battle six other regular teams that have already signed up for the league's inaugural season.

Their entry is expected to be a shot in the arm in terms of popularity for the upstart tournament, which will have companies like Smart, Meralco, Cignal, PVC, Army, and Alaska backing teams made of mostly of former collegiate standouts.

The Lady Spikers won the UAAP women’s volleyball crown for the third straight time last season, sweeping Ateneo in their best-of-three series earlier this year.

La Salle is a three-time Shakey’s V-League champion although it has not seen action in the league since the second conference of 2008.

De La Salle has also recently won an intercollegiate crown organized by the Philippine Volleyball Federation.