Photo by August dela Cruz
MANILA—Ateneo and San Sebastian break their tie for second place while Air Force guns for its second successive victory today in the Shakey’s V-League Season 8 Open Conference at the FilOil-Flying V Arena in San Juan.
Toting similar 2-1 records, the Lady Eagles and Lady Stags take the floor at 4 p.m. hoping to strengthen their bids for a place in the quarterfinals.
Air Force, fresh off a four-set conquest of Ateneo last Sunday, faces another school-based team in winless Perpetual Help, in the curtain-raiser at 2 p.m.
The Lady Eagles bowed to Air Force, 21-25, 24-26, 25-20, 29-31, in a game that saw Cherry Macatangay summon her old fiery form to finish with 25 points.
Ateneo remains confident against San Sebastian with Alyssa Valdez, Fille Cainglet and Angeline Gervacio leading the team. Cainglet is coming off a 26-point binge against Army.
Against San Sebastian, the Lady Eagles will also have to deal with imports Jeng Bualee and Lauren Ford, who fired 13 hits apiece in a 25-18, 25-17, 25-13 victory over Perpetual Help.
Cainglet and Valdez show the way in the scoring charts with norms of 19 and 18 hits, respectively.
Except for the loss to Air Force, Ateneo’s floor defense has been solid. The Lady Eagles are the league’s top receiving team with 20 percent efficiency with the Lady Stags in third with 18.86 percent.
Ford is actually the most efficient attacker in the league with a 50.63 accuracy (40 of 70) and third in scoring with a 15-point average.
Mary Jane Pepito and Jill Gustilo will backstop Bualee and Ford, while mainstays Joy Benito and Dafna Robinos with guest players Janette Doria and Rubie de Leon are also expected to contribute for the Lady Stags.
The Altas are hard-pressed to pull off a victory to keep their quarterfinal hopes alive. Coach Mike Rafael is hoping to draw better performances from Honey Tubino and Lasungnern Piyatada, the veteran Thai import.