Games on Sunday (The Arena, San Juan)
2 p.m. — Adamson vs UST
4 p.m. — UP vs FEU

Just how strong is University of Santo Tomas without veteran guest spikers Michelle Carolino and two-time MVP Mary Jane Balse?

That will be known when the Tigresses start their quest for a fifth championship against Adamson University this Sunday at the opening of the second conference of the sixth Shakey’s V League at The Arena in San Juan City.

Though billed as the “team-to-beat” following their title conquest last conference, UST coach Shaq delos Santos said he expects a tougher grind this time since his team will miss the services of Carolino and Balse, who are preparing for the national team that will compete in the Laos Southeast Asian Games this December.

“I always tell my other players we cannot rely on them (Balse and Carolino) all the time. Each of them need to step up,” said delos Santos, whose squad collides with the Lady Falcons at 2 p.m.

Clashing at 4 p.m. are last conference’s fourth placer Far Eastern University and University of the Philippines.

Carolino and Balse powered UST to a come-from-behind finals triumph over San Sebastian, 2-1, in June.

That championship victory cemented UST’s status as the most dominant squad in the league with four titles.

La Salle, which has been banned indefinitely from competing in the league after skipping the two conferences this season, owns three.

Meantime, the league will only allow each of the eight competing teams to tap one guest player instead of the usual two following the reported Philippine Volleyball Federation (PVF) directive not to allow national players to play for any league until after the SEAG.

Roxanne Pimentel, a former league MVP who steered UST to its second title in 2004 when she was still a mainstay, will be the Tigresses’ new guest spiker.

Providing the 6-foot-1 Pimentel support are veteran players Aiza Maizo, Maika Ortiz, last season’s finals MVP Rhea Dimaculangan and comebacking Ange Tabaquero.

Veterans Jill Gustilo, Pau Soriano, Angela Benting, Tatan Gata, and guest player Cha-cha Moralde, on the other hand, will be at the forefront of Adamson’s assault.

“We will match UST’s game and we will show them that we can also win,” Adamson mentor Dulce Pante, who steered her team to a third place finish last conference, said.

The Lady Tamaraws, bannered by Rachel Anne Daquis, Anne Taganas, Shai Gonzales, and Numay Vivas, are tipped to prevail against the Lady Maroons, who failed to log a win in seven matches in previous conference of the league sponsored by Shakey’s Pizza and organized by Sports Vision.

The eight-team cast will play a single round robin eliminations with the top six advancing to the quarterfinals.

Carrying over their respective win-loss records, the six teams fight it out in another round robin series with the top four advancing the Final Four. The No. 1 team plays No. 4 while the Nos. 2 and 3 squads battle it out in separate best-of-three series for berth in the finals, which is a best-of-three affair.

Like in the first conference, matches will have a live webcast on www.VLeague.ph with NBN-4 airing games on delayed basis from 2 to 4 p.m. daily.