Ateneo, UST Seek Quaterfinals Bid

Photo courtesy of Dondi Nolasco

Games Tuesday
(The Arena, San Juan City)
2 p.m.- Southwestern U vs FEU
4 p.m.- St. La Salle-Bacolod vs San Sebastian

Reigning titlist Ateneo survived a meltdown in the middle sets as it turned back a fiesty National U, 25-15, 26-24, 20-25, 25-14, to barge into the quarterfinal round of the ninth Shakey’s V-League presented by Smart at The Arena in San Juan City yesterday.

Fille Saint Cainglet and Alyssa Valdez carried the Lady Eagles through by combining for 15 hits apiece including a combined 27 kills but they did most of the damage in the fourth and final set when they alternated up front in sealing their way to the next round with a 2-0 (win-loss) slate.

Angeline Marie Gervacio pumped in 13 hits while Ateneo’s Thai import Phee Nok Kesinee scattered 12 but the two were most effective in defense by combining for seven blocks including a game-high five by the former.

Ateneo coach Roger Gorayeb though is far from satisfied.

“Nawala aggressiveness namin nung kalagitnaan, sumasabay na ng laro sa kalaban, hindi na dumedepensa (Our aggressiveness disappeared in the middle of the game, the girls are trying the play the game of our opponent, they’re not defending anymore),” said Gorayeb.

After convingly seizing the opening set, the Lady Eagles played a little complacent and paid dearly for it as the Lady Bulldogs snatched the momentum and even led by as big as four points, the last at 18-14.

NU then appeared headed to taking the second set when Dindin Santiago, its guest player who suited up for Santo Tomas last year, pummels a kill to make it a 24-22 lead in this tournament sponsored by Shakey’s Pizza.

But the Lady Eagles kept their cool and took the next four points, thanks to three Valdez spikes and a kill from team captain Gretchen Ho, who contributed seven hits, to save the set in the event backed by Mikasa and Accel and organized by Sports Vision.

Though dropping the heartbreaker, NU didn’t flinch and responded by dominating the third set, thanks to the long-limbed Santiago, who led all hitters with 22, and Maricar Nepomuceno’s continued bombing from the net.

It turned out the Lady Bulldogs’ last show of resistance as Valdez and Cainglet took turns in delivering the blows to seal it.

In the only other match of the day, University of Santo Tomas bucked a sluggish start as it downed Adamson, 20-25, 25-17, 25-19, 25-22, to join Ateneo in the next phase with a 2-0 slate.

The Lady Falcons fell to their second straight defeat.

NU also fell to its second straight setback and closer to getting eliminated in the format that calls that only one gets eliminated in the two groups. –Joey Villar