National U out-steadied Adamson in a grueling first set duel then hung tough to hack out a 29-27, 25-20, 25-23 victory and stave off elimination in the ninth Shakey’s V-League Presented by Smart at The Arena in San Juan late Thursday.

Dindin Santiago rammed in 26 kills out of 50 attempts for a high 52 percent performance as she powered the Lady Bulldogs to the inspiring win that kept their flickering semis hopes alive.

But with a 1-4 card, in a tie with FEU, NU needs to sweep its last two games against fancied teams San Sebastian and UST and hope that Perpetual Help (3-1) and SSC (2-2) won’t go over three wins to force a playoff for the last Final Four berth.

Myla Pablo backed Santiago with 12 hits while Maricar Nepomuceno and Carmina Aganon combined for 15 points for the Lady Bulldogs, who held Adamson’s Nene Bautista to 17 points and Pau Soriano to 10 hits.

The loss was Adamson’s fifth against a lone win, booting out the Lady Falcons from the semis race in the season-opening conference of the league sponsored by Shakey’s Pizza.

Defending champion Ateneo clinched the first semis slot with a four-set win over SSC, also last Thursday, stretching its win run to six and building the momentum and confidence it would need in the Final Four.

UST took the second Final Four seat with a 4-0 mark with Perpetual Help closing in on the third berth and SSC tipped to land the last semis seat in the event backed by Mikasa and Accel.

University of St. La Salle-Bacolod also stayed in the hunt with a straight-set victory over FEU as it improved to 2-4 although like the Lady Bulldogs and the Tams, the Lady Stingers must hurdle the Lady Altas tomorrow for a crack at the playoff for the last semis berth. –Dante Navarro

Ateneo leaned on its gritty local crew to buck Jeng Bualee’s 30-hit explosion and subdue San Sebastian, 25-11, 23-25, 25-17, 25-19, as it stretched its win run to six in the ninth Shakey’s V-League Presented by Smart at The Arena in San Juan yesterday.

Already assured of the semis, the Lady Eagles still went for the win, pulling off the victory in 1:30 while stalling the Lady Stags march to the Final Four. SSC dropped to 2-2 and must win two of its last three games to advance in the season opening conference of the league sponsored by Shakey’s Pizza.

Thai import Phee Nok Kesinee topscored for the Lady Eagles with 21 hits in her scoring duel with Bualee but Ateneo’s locals outhit their counterparts to power the defending champions to the victory.

Dzi Gervacio turned in another solid performance with 17 hits, including 11 kills, while Alyssa Valdez finished with 15 points, highlighted with four service aces. Fille Cainglet also chipped in 11 points Jam Ferrer kept the team’s play in motion with 43 excellent sets.

Joy Benito made nine hits while Rubie de Leon added eight points for SSC, which hopes to bounce back against FEU on Sunday before clashing with National U and Perpetual Help next week.

UST, the former six-time champion in the league backed by Mikasa and Accel, is a cinch to nail the second Final Four slot with a 4-0 mark while Perpetual is in third with a 3-1 slate.

Earlier, University of St. La Salle-Bacolod flashed top form and swept Far Eastern U, 25-11, 25-22, 25-15, to pump life into its sagging semis bid with a 2-4 mark.

Needing a victory to stay in the semis race, the Lady Stingers did just that, turning in their best performance thus far in the tournament with five players churning out double-digit scores to post the win.

Although they hardly improved at fifth place, USLS still kept its slim chance for a playoff for the last semis berth in the season-opening conference of the league sponsored by Shakey’s Pizza and backed by Mikasa and Accel.

Sheryl Denila stepped up to fire 14 hits while Royce Quijano tossed in 12 points, guest player Jovelyn Gonzaga and Gianes Dolar each had 11 markers and Patty Orendain added 10 points.

The Lady Stingers asserted their might on the net, ramming in 46 hills as against FEU’s measly 25-point output with Denila spearheading the attack with 12 and Quijano backing her up with 10.

The Lady Tams tried to put up a fight in the second but lost steam in the end and were completely outplayed by the fired-up Stingers in the third.

FEU dropped to 1-4 in a tie with Adamson. -Dante Navarro

Quarters	Win	Loss
ADMU	6	0
UST	4	0
UPHSD	3	1
SSC-R	2	2
USLS	2	4
FEU	1	4
NU	1	4
AdU	1	5

San Sebastian takes on Ateneo today, seeking no less than a victory and at least a playoff for a semifinal berth even as two struggling teams try to stay in the hunt in the quarterfinal round in the ninth Shakey’s V-League Presented by Smart at The Arena in San Juan.

Toting a 2-1 card, the Lady Stags duel with the defending champions at 4 p.m., hoping to dish out their best against the league’s best in an explosive match expected to go down-to-the-wire.

Although assured of a Final Four spot with an unbeaten 5-0 mark, the Lady Eagles are also expected to go for a win in their determined bid to go all the way to another championship in the league sponsored by Shakey’s Pizza.

Jeng Bualee of SSC and Ateneo’s Phee Nok Kesinee are likely to neutralize each other out in a duel of Thai imports, leaving the fight for the local crew of both squads to decide.

Ateneo actually has the slight edge with Alyssa Valdez, Dzi Gervacio, Fille Cainglet, Gretchen Ho and Jam Ferrer playing cohesive ball since the elims. But Joy Benito is expected to step up for SSC in this key match along with Dafna Robinos, Karen Bernano, Rubie de Leon and Ara Mallare with support from Mae Crisostomo, Joy Corpuz, Bea Uy and Jolina Labiano.

Far Eastern U and Adamson, meanwhile, shoot for a pair of wins against University of St. La Salle-Bacolod and National U, respectively, to keep their slim hopes alive in the tournament backed by Mikasa and Accel.

UST, with a 4-0 slate, is a cinch to clinch the second semis berth while Perpetual Help, with a 3-1 card, has the inside track for the No. 3 seat in the Final Four.

A victory by SSC will make it tougher for FEU and Adamson to gain a crack at the playoff for the last semis seat but the Lady Tams and the Falcons will surely be gunning for victories just the same.

FEU and USLS battle at 2 p.m. while Adamson collides with NU in the 6 p.m. main game. NU has a 0-3 mark while USLS is out with a 0-4 slate.

The first two games will be aired on a delayed basis on AKTV-13 starting at 7 tonight, according to the organizing Sports Vision. –Dante Navarro

Ateneo recovered from a fumbling third set stint with a gritty stand in the fourth to hold off a tough Adamson side, 25-22, 25-14, 20-25, 25-22, and clinch the first semifinal berth in the ninth Shakey’s V-League Presented by Smart at The Arena in San Juan last night.

Alyssa Valdez and Thai import Phee Nok Kesinee fired 19 hits apiece while three others put in double-digit scores to power the defending champion Lady Eagles to a 5-0 mark and a spot in the Final Four of the event sponsored by Shakey’s Pizza.

Dzi Gervacio added 13 points while Fille Cainglet and Gretchen Ho chipped in 10 points apiece for Ateneo, which fashioned out the victory in 97 minutes.

Adamson’s guest player Nene Bautista topscored with 18 points, highlighted with 15 kills, while Shiela Pineda tossed in 13 points with two service aces. Pau Soriano added scored 12 points and Faye Guevara added 11 points for the Lady Falcons, who kept it close in the fourth but fell short in the end. They dropped to 1-4 and in danger of missing the semis of the tournament backed by Mikasa and Accel.

Earlier, University of St. La Salle held National U to just two hits in the decider to hack out a come-from-behind 25-12, 21-25, 20-25, 25-23, 15-2 victory and keep its slim semifinal hopes alive in the ninth Shakey’s V-League Presented by Smart at The Arena in San Juan yesterday.

Patty Orendain scored nine hits in the fifth set, including three service aces, while Royce Quijano came away with three blocks for the Lady Stingers, who dished out a solid start but faltered in the next two sets before scrambling for a win in the fourth and dominating the decider.

It was USLS’ only first win in five games in the carryover quarterfinal phase and the Lady Stingers must sweep their last two games and hope that either Perpetual Help or San Sebastian won’t win more than three to force a playoff for the last spot.

Orendain went on to fire 25 kills and two blocks for a whopping 30-point performance while Quijano finished with seven blocks for a 13-hit production.

“We struggled with our reception in the second and third sets as (Din-Din) Santiago attacked in varied directions,” said USLS coach Roger Banzuela. “But we were able to adjust in the fourth as I put Jovelyn (Gonzaga) in utility and Royce (Quijano) in front.”

Santiago, NU’s hard-hitting reinforcement, shot 19 kills and had four services aces to lead the team with 25 points while skipper Maricar Nepomuceno and Myla Pablo added 16 and 15 markers, respectively.

The Lady Bulldogs dropped to 0-4.

The Lady Stingers came out smoking in the decider, winning the first five points as Quijano foiled three consecutive returns from Santiago. Orendain then took charge in offense, landing five consecutive service aces to put USLS unassailably ahead at 14-2. Sheryl Denila closed out the match with a spike to Santiago.

NU looked headed for a win after surging ahead at 19-18 and with a 2-1 set advantage. But USLS countered with a 6-0 run and grabbed a 24-19 lead before Orendain thwarted the Bulldogs rally with a smash against Ivy Perez. –Dante Navarro

Ateneo tries to formalize its stint in the semifinal round as it takes on an embattled Adamson side today even as National U and University of St. La Salle-Bacolod knock each other out in the quarterfinals of the ninth Shakey’s V-League Presented by Smart at The Arena in San Juan.

The Lady Eagles swept the Lady Stingers last Sunday to assure themselves of at least playoff for a semis seat with a pacesetting 4-0 slate, matched later by the former six-time defending champion UST Tigresses, who survived a gritty FEU squad, 25-19, 25-16, 24-26, 25-16.

But the Lady Falcons, bannered by former MVP Nene Bautista and Pau Soriano, will go all-out for a win not only to stop the Eagles’ run but more importantly to keep their semis hopes in the tournament sponsored by Shakey’s Pizza and backed by Mikasa and Accel.

With a 1-3 mark, Adamson, which dropped a close three-setter to Perpetual Help, also last Sunday, is in fifth behind Perpetual Help (3-1) and San Sebastian (2-1) and must sweep its last three games to remain in the race.

Gametime is at 4 p.m.

Equally interesting is the 2 p.m. clash between NU and USLS in a duel of winless squads with the winner keeping its flickering Final Four chances alive.

Ateneo, led by Dzi Gervacio, Fille Cainglet, Alyssa Valdez and Thai import Phee Nok Kesinee, is looking good at this stage of its title-retention campaign with the Lady Eagles itching to pile up another victory as they brace for two tough matches – against the SSC Lady Stags on Thursday and the fancied Tigresses on Sunday.

Meanwhile, today’s twinbill will be aired on a delayed basis starting at 7 tonight on AKTV-13, according to the organizing Sports Vision. The matches, however, can be viewed on live streaming on www.v-league.ph. –Dante Navarro

Reigning NCAA champion Perpetual Help displayed grace under pressure in all three sets and foiled Adamson U, 25-23, 25-22, 26-24, to resume its semifinal drive in the ninth Shakey’s V-League Presented by Smart at The Arena in San Juan.

The Lady Altas bucked the Lady Falcons’ power-game with solid reception and gritty net defense to pound out the thrilling victory in 1:14 and remain in third behind unbeaten Ateneo and UST with a 3-1 card in the event sponsored by Shakey’s Pizza.

Unbeaten Ateneo likewise posted a straight-set 25-16, 25-22, 25-22 victory over winless University of St. La Salle-Bacolod to zero in on the first Final Four berth.

Dzi Gervacio took charge for Ateneo’s offense with 12 hits while Alyssa Valdez added 10 points and Fille Cainglet and Thai import Phee Nok Kesinee tossing nine hits apiece for the defending champions, who showed the way with a 4-0 mark, including a 3-0 card they carried over from the elims.

Royce Quijano fired 13 points while Patty Orendain added 12 hits for the Lady Stingers, who fell to 0-4.

Sandra delos Santos held her own against AdU’s Nene Bautista and Pau Soriano as she fired 15 kills and wound up with 19 hits while combining with Thai reinforcement Pornpimol Kunbang, who had 13 points, including 10 attacks.

Honey Rose Tubino added nine hits, including a block that capped the win for the Lady Altas, who trailed majority of the third, while Norie Diaz and April Sartin combined for 13 points for Perpetual, which finished second to Ateneo in Group A in the elims.

Adamson beat Perpetual in spikes, 50-44, but the Lady Altas made up for this with seven blocks against their rivals’ four while Shyrra Cabriana produced 51 excellent sets against Janet Serafica’s 49 for Adamson.

Bautista and Soriano teamed up for 38 points but the Lady Falcons failed to shake off the gutsy Altas, who flashed tremendous poise at endgame of each set to complete the straight-set win in the tournament backed by Mikasa and Accel.

Adamson fell to 1-3.

Meanwhile, the Perpetual-Adamson match, together with Ateneo-USLS setto, will be aired at 7 tonight on AKTV-13, according to the organizing Sports Vision.

Adamson looked headed to extend the match as it kept a 24-22 lead on a spike by Bautista. But the Altas tied it on Pornpimol’s kill then surged ahead with a block on Soriano. –Dante Navarro

Quarters	Win	Loss
ADMU	6	0
UST	4	0
UPHSD	3	1
SSC-R	2	2
USLS	2	4
FEU	1	4
NU	1	4
AdU	1	5

Defending champion Ateneo and former six-time winner University of Santo Tomas step up their drive in the ninth Shakey’s V-League Presented by Smart as they take on separate rivals today (Sunday) at the start of the quarterfinal round at The Arena in San Juan.

Carrying the best records (3-0) after sweeping their respective groups in the elims, the Lady Eagles and the Tigresses set out as the favorites against the University of St. La Salle-Bacolod Lady Stingers and the Far Eastern U Lady Tams, respectively, hoping to pull away from the pack in another single round phase.

Ateneo, which dropped just two sets in dominating Group A, battles USLS (0-3) at 4 p.m. while UST, which posted a more impressive record of three shutout wins and a 3-1 rout in topping Group B, collides with FEU (1-2) in the 6 p.m. main game.

NCAA champion Perpetual Help (2-1) likewise tries to boost its own semis bid in the league sponsored by Shakey’s Pizza and backed by Mikasa and Accel as it squares off with Adamson (1-2) in the 2 p.m. opener.

Games can be viewed live via streaming on www.v-league.ph.

Meanwhile, the first two games will be aired on AKTV-13 beginning at 7 p.m. tomorrow (Monday). Games on Tuesdays and Thursdays are shown on a delayed basis on the same day, also starting at 7 p.m.

AKTV will also air the previous games in the league’s season-opening conference, including the third matches in a number of triple-bills on its cable channel Hyper, according to the organizing Sports Vision.

National University (0-3) will see action on Tuesday against USLS while the last quarterfinalist San Sebastian College (2-1) get to play on Thursday against powerhouse Ateneo.

The Lady Eagles boast of a solid crew led by Fille Cainglet, Alyssa Valdez, Gretchen Ho, setter Jam Ferrer and the league’s top blocker Dzi Gervacio with Thai import Phee Nok Kesinee providing added firepower.

But the Lady Stingers are expected to pour it all out and spring a surprise on a team built around Patty Orendain, Jovelyn Gonzaga, Sheryl Denila, Royce Quijano, Catherine Abayon and Gianes Dolar.

UST, on the other hand, will pin its hopes again on Judy Caballejo, Mary Jane Balse, Maika Ortiz, Maruja Banaticla and tall Thai import and the league’s leading spiker Utaiwan Kaensing against an FEU side bannered by Thai Eve Sanorseang, Jen Manzano, Wenneth Eulalio, Rosemarie Vargas, Mary Rose Baniel and elims top setter Gyzelle Sy. –Dante Navarro

University of Santo Tomas connected with half of their hits to sweep San Sebastian College, 25-12, 25-10, 25-21 and sweep Group B at the close of the elims in the ninth Shakey’s V-League Presented by Smart at The Arena in San Juan late Thursday.

Former MVP Mary Jean Balse scored 14 points while Judy Caballejo had 12 kills and Thai import Kaensing Utaiwan added 12 markers for UST, which made 40 of their 81 spike attempts.

“We’re doing well because we have solid rotation and we get the most of our options,” said UST coach Odjie Mamon, whose wards also made 10 service aces.

UST, the former six-time champion making its return to the league sponsored by Shakey’s Pizza after a two-year hiatus, thus swept the single round elims and matched Ateneo’s feat in Group A of the two-division event backed by Mikasa and Accel.

The Tigresses’ net and floor defense also limited the Lady Stags to 25-out-of-101 hits with Balse coming through with four blocks and Utaiwan rejecting two hits. The Espana-based squad likewise held SSC’s power-hitting import Jang Bualee to 14 points.

“Actually, our strength is on reception,” said Mamon, who also drew a solid game from Rhea Dimaculangan, who orchestrated UST’s offense with 22 excellent sets.

Balse made three consecutive service aces to cap a 20-8 run in the second set where the Tigresses limited the Lady Stags to just 10 points.

The Recoletos-based team kept the game close in the third as Bualee tried to impose her strength only to be neutralized by UST tough net defense for the victory. –Dante Navarro

Nene Bautista rammed in a power kill over two Letran defenders to cap the Lady Falcons’ 25-18, 25-16, 14-25, 25-22 victory in 1:28.

Adamson, which dropped its first two games, thus closed out with a 2-2 mark to join Group B mates San Sebastian College and University of Santo Tomas in the Last 8 with USLS taking the last berth with a 1-3 slate.

Letran bowed out of the race with a 0-4 mark, the same card posted by Southwestern U in Group A of the two-division tournament sponsored by Shakey’s Pizza.

Bautista, a former MVP, finished with 22 hits, including 17 kills, while Pau Soriano added 16 points for the Lady Falcons, who slowed down in the third set, enabling the Lady Knights to extend the match.

Thai import Patcharee Sangmuang made 16 kills while Joy Casas made 10 hits for the Lady Knights, who kept the game close in the fourth but just couldn’t sustain their fightback and missed forcing a playoff for the last quarters berth.

Earlier, NCAA champion University of Perpetual Help primed up for the quarters with a straight-set 25-21, 25-17, 25-20 victory over Far Eastern U.

Thai import Kunbang Pornpimol unloaded 13 attacks and finished with 17 hits, while Sandra delos Santos fired 12 points and Honey Royse Tubino chipped in 11 markers for the Lady Altas, who finished second to unbeaten Ateneo (4-0) in Group A with a 3-1 card at the end of the single round elims of the event backed by Mikasa and Accel and organized by Sports Vision.

The Lady Altas overpowered the Tams, 44-30, in spikes and dominated their rivals on defense upfront with 10 blocks against FEU’s four.

Guest players Jen Manzano and Eve Sanorseang had eight kills apiece to lead the Lady Tams, who threatened last in the third at 20-24 from nine points down as Rosemarie Vargas scored two straight and the Lady Altas committed three errors.

But Tubino, who had four blocks, soared with a kill to wrap up the match in 1:11 while dealing FEU its second loss in four games.

“The girls got tired towards the end but we drew up a play for Tubibo or Pornpimol, who are our big hitters,” said coach Mike Rafael in Filipino.

FEU captain Gyzelle Sy had 33 excellent sets with 102 attempts, while UPH’s setter Shyrra Cabriana converted 26 of her 104 attempts. – Dante Navarro

Games today
2 p.m. – FEU vs Perpetual
4 p.m. – Adamson vs Letran
6 p.m. – San Sebastian vs UST

Adamson and Letran clash today for one of the last two quarterfinal berths even as University of Santo Tomas and San Sebastian College duel for the top spot in Group B at the close of the elims in the ninth Shakey’s V-League Presented by Smart at The Arena in San Juan.

The Lady Falcons checked their skid by outsteadying University of St. La Salle-Bacolod in five, 25-20, 25-22, 24-26, 25-23, 15-9, last Tuesday as they bounced back into contention after losing their first two games in the single round elims of the league sponsored by Shakey’s Pizza.

With a 1-2 card, Adamson needs to hurdle winless Letran in the 4 p.m. match to advance to the Last 8. But the Lady Knights, with a 0-3 mark, are also in a must-win situation for a shot at a playoff for last quarters seat in Group B of the event backed by Mikasa and Accel.

Ateneo (4-0), Far Eastern U (2-1), Perpetual Help (2-1) and National U (1-3) took the first four quarters berths in Group A with the Lady Tams and the Lady Altas colliding for the No. 2 spot in the 2 p.m. opener of a triple-bill.

Meanwhile, the first two games will be aired on AKTV-13 beginning at 7 tonight as the organizing Sports Vision and AKTV finally came to terms to telecast the matches and give fans the chance to watch top-notch volley action featuring the country’s leading and rising players. Other telecast dates are Monday (for Sunday’s games) and Tuesday.

AKTV will also air the previous games in the league’s season-opening conference, including the third matches in a number of triple-bills on its cable channel Hyper.

Games can be viewed live via streaming on www.v-league.ph.

Focus will be on the Adamson-Letran contest with the Lady Falcons hoping to draw the best from former MVP Nene Bautista and mainstay Pau Soriano along with Angela Benting, Shiela Pineda, Faye Guevara and setter Theresa Piza.

Although they lost their first three games, the Lady Knights remain hopeful of pulling off a surprise against the Knights behind Thai reinforcement Patcharee Sangmuang and locals Joy Cases, Sarah Espelita, Gena Andaya, Marinelle Carolino, Melissa Cu and Jamaika Villas. –Dante Navarro