FEU dominates the Batangas leg of Shakey’s National Invitationals

NEWLY-CROWNED champion Far Eastern University (FEU) wants no let-up in its preparation for a UAAP redemption even after dominating the Batangas Leg of the 2025 Shakey’s Super League (SSL) National Invitationals.

In finer form than ever, mentor Tina Salak and the Lady Tamaraws shift their focus to a title bid in the SSL Collegiate Pre-Season Championship on Sept. 20 against UAAP and NCAA contenders ahead of the UAAP Season 88 early next year.

FEU drubbed College of St. Benilde, 25-21, 25-16, 25-19, to complete a sweep of the SSL Luzon Leg over the weekend at the University of Batangas (UB) Millennium Gym.

A semifinalist in the UAAP and runner-up in the SSL National Invitationals last year, FEU vented its ire without dropping a single set against NCAA four-peat champion St. Benilde, Colegio de San Juan de Letran and host UB to reign supreme in the Batangas Leg.

Reigning UAAP champion National University (NU) won the Davao Leg this year by sweeping University of the Philippines, Notre Dame of Dadiangas University, and the Davao Selection, made up of standouts from Ateneo de Davao University, Holy Cross of Davao College and the University of Mindanao.

Adamson University then followed suit, ruling the Cebu Leg with a similar sweep of Ateneo Manila University as well as home teams University of San Carlos and University of Southern Philippines Foundation.

Faida Bakanke was named the Best Player of the Batangas Leg for FEU to join other MVPs Shaina Nitura (Cebu Leg) of Adamson and incoming rookie Sam Cantada (Davao Leg) of NU as the SSL mulls on retaining the new regional format to support provincial squads in terms of improvement and fan reception. — John Bryan Ulanday