Lady Eagles, Tigresses eye Shakey’s V-L title slots

GAMES TODAY

(Filoil Flying V Arena)

2 p.m.—Ateneo vs Perpetual Help

4 p.m.—San Sebastian vs UST

ATENEO and University of Santo Tomas  seek to arrange a title showdown today when they gun for a sweep of their respective semifinal foes in the Shakey’s V-League Season 9 First Conference.

Riding high on a nine-game winning run, the Lady Eagles hope for a repeat of their straight-set conquest of the Perpetual Lady Altas in the 2 p.m. clash at the Filoil Flying V Arena in San Juan.

Still formidable even after a two-year hiatus from the league, the Tigresses hope to also finish off the San Sebastian Lady Stags in the 4 p.m. match.

Deciding matches, if necessary, are slated Thursday.

“Our target is a finals appearance and we’re not taking any chances in Game 2,” said UST coach Odjie Mamon, whose squad is eyeing a record 10th finals appearance.

The Tigresses took it easy in the third and fourth sets in Game 1 and nearly paid dearly for it as the Lady Stags dragged the match into a five-setter before finally yielding, 25-11, 25-17, 23-25, 21-25, 15-8.

UST could miss guest player Mary Jean Balse in Game 2 after the former V-League Most Valuable Player limped off in the final set of the series-opener.

The Lady Eagles are looking to book a second consecutive finals appearance. But they could also miss a key player in defensive specialist Gretchen Ho, who  is nursing a knee injury.