Army gains V-League semis, whips Air Force

MANILA—Army flaunted its attacking depth in overwhelming Air Force Sunday to reach the semifinals of the Shakey’s V-League Season 8 Open Conference at the FilOil-Flying V Arena in San Juan.

The Lady Troopers leaned on the trio of Michelle and Marietta Carolino and Mary Jean Balse in hacking out an impressive 25-14, 25-19, 25-22 triumph in 64 minutes.

Marietta Carolino, a national team mainstay, fired 16 points, while Balse posted 11. Michelle Carolino, Army’s leading scorer in the elimination round, wound up with 10 hits.

Rachel Anne Daquis and Joanne Bunag contributed nine and eight points, respectively, for Army, which also swept Air Force in the first round of the eliminations.

It was the third straight triumph in the quarterfinals for Army, which regained top spot from San Sebastian and assured itself of a place in the next round.

Ateneo earlier stayed in the fight for a semifinal berth with a 25-17, 23-25, 25-22, 25-15 win over Maynilad.

The explosive duo of Alyssa Valdez and Fille Cainglet delivered for the Lady Eagles, who snapped a five-game losing streak.

Valdez finally regained her lethal form, finishing with 26 points while Cainglet banged in 25 hits as Ateneo won for the first time in the quarterfinals.

Ateneo, which fashioned out the win in an hour and 23 minutes, evened its card at 1-1 in the quarterfinals, three days absorbing a straight-set loss to Philippine Navy.

The Lady Eagles put up a formidable defensive wall at the net, coming away with 11 blocks. Ateneo also had 11 aces with Angeline Gervacio, who finished with 10 poiints, accounting for six.

Mervic Mangui tallied 11 points in just two sets, but it wasn’t enough as the Water Dragons fell to their second defeat of the quarterfinals and seventh overall.

Syvie Artates and Beverly Boto chipped in 10 apiece for Maynilad, which hopes to finally barge into the quarterfinal win column against Air Force on Tuesday.

Aiza Maizo paced Air Force’s losing effort with 14 hits for a 15-point performance while Jennifer Manzano added 10 hits.

The Lady Eagles fought back from 18-22 in the third set, scoring the next seven points against a visibly dispirited Maynilad squad.

The Water Dragons threatened early in the fourth frame, before Valdez and Cainglet took over, staking the Lady Eagles to a 19-14 lead.

Gervacio, Aerieal Patnongon and Gretchen Ho accounted for Ateneo’s next three points before a Maynilad error and Valdez’s last kill all but wrapped up the victory at 24-19.

The Airwomen looked headed to stretching the match into a fourth set before Marietta Carolino fired consecutive hits to put the game beyond reach for Army.