Philippine Sports News and Updates

MANILA, Philippines - Ateneo-OraCare, displaying fine form, got back at Far Eastern U, 25-16, 26-24, 24-26, 25-14, yesterday to boost its semifinal drive in the second conference of the Shakey’s V-League Season 6 at The Arena in San Juan City.

Fille Cainglet and Angeline Gervacio combined for 35 hits while alumna guest player Charo Soriano backed them up with 10 points as the Lady Eagles parlayed the Lady Tams’ miscues into points en route to posting the victory at the start of the single round quarterfinal phase among six teams.

“We capitalized on our opponent’s errors which we converted into points,” said Ateneo coach Clint Malazo, whose Lady Eagles scored 34 points off the Lady Tams errors. “We also hope to sustain our form.”

The Lady Eagles indeed kept the momentum of their tough five-set win over the Adamson Lady Falcons at the end of the elims last week and poured on the heat in the fourth set, which they dominated behind Gervacio, who finished with 16 hits, and Bea Pascual, who added four points.

Ateneo thus improved to 5-3 and gained a share of third with a skidding San Sebastian side, which bowed to Adamson U, 25-15, 25-13, 25-12, in the second game.

UST leads the field with a 7-0 mark while FEU dropped to 6-2 but remained in second.

Pau Soriano and Angela Benting scored 15 hits apiece while Jill Gustilo added 13 points for the Lady Falcons who evened their card at 4-4 for solo fifth.

It was the Lady Stags’ second straight defeat following their equally embarrassing straight-set setback to the Tigresses last Friday.

“They were really determined to bounce back from our loss to Ateneo,” said Adamson coach Dulce Pante, whose wards posted the quickest win in the season in 54 minutes..

Shaira Gonzalez came away with 18 hits while Cherry Vivas, the league’s leading scorer, had 15 points and guest player Rachel Daquis added 13 points for the Lady Tams, who beat the Lady Eagles, 3-1, in the elims of the tournament sponsored by Shakey’s Pizza and backed by Accel, Mikasa, Mighty Bond and OraCare.

The Ateneo-FEU match will be shown starting at 2 p.m. today on NBN-4, according to the organizing Sports Vision.

The Lady Eagles, foiled in their sweep bid in a close third set duel, seized control in the fourth at 21-13 behind Gervacio’s back-to-back hits.

Ateneo, however, will resume its bid for a semis seat without Soriano, who is set to take a two-week vacation and hopes to suit up again in case the Lady Eagles advance to the Final Four.

Cainglet finished with 19 hits, including one that shattered the 24-all count in the second set before Soriano scored on a drop shot to move, 2-0.

But the Lady Eagles failed to duplicate their feat, losing the third set from a 24-all score as Daquis fired a kill and scored on a service ace.

• Philstar
• Philippine Sports Central