Shakey’s V League: San Sebastian, Ateneo battle rookie squads
Photo by August dela Cruz
MANILA—Ateneo and San Sebastian, both former champions, plunge into action against rookie teams as the Shakey’s V-League Open Conference fires off Sunday at the FilOil-Flying V Arena in San Juan.
The Lady Eagles, who beat the Adamson Lady Falcons in the First Conference for their maiden championship in the country’s premier women’s volley league, take on a Maynilad squad reinforced by Joy Cases in the 4 p.m. main match.
Maynilad is one of four non-school teams vying in the tournament. The three others are Navy, Army and Air Force, which will face 2008 Second Conference champion San Sebastian at 2 p.m.
Perpetual Help is the other school squad in the seven-team tournament backed by Mikasa (official ball), Accel (official outfitter) and Maynilad Water (official drinking water).
The top six teams after the single round robin elimination will advance to the quarterfinals. The top four squads after another round robin will move to the semifinals, with the No. 1 team facing the No. 4 squad and the Nos. 2 and 3 teams clashing in a pair of best-of-three series for final berths.
Former stars of various schools will spearhead Maynilad, where they are now employed. Charisse Ancheta, Joanna Marie dela Peña, Nica Guliman, Melissa Mirasol, Mervic Mangui, Margarita Pepito and Syvie Artates make up the all-star cast.
Ancheta was the league’s best setter in 2007 and helped San Sebastian top the NCAA from 2006 to 2008 and the Shakey’s V-League in 2008; Dela Peña was WNCAA’s two-time best libero as member of multi-titled Lyceum; and Guliman, another former Lyceum mainstay, was V-League’s best blocker in 2010 and a member of the national team.
Ateneo will bank on Alyssa Valdez, Gretchen Ho, Dzi Gervacio, Mona Bagatsing, Jem Ferrer, Fille Cainglet, Bea Tan and Leal Patnongon.
GMA-7 will air the games on its international channels—GMA Pinoy TV, GMA LifeTV and GMA News TV—while NBN 4 will also telecast the matches starting at 2 p.m., according to organizing Sports Vision.
Matches can also be viewed on live streaming via www.v-league.ph.
Meanwhile, the league is again offering a “Bring a Friend” promo where one lower box ticket will entitle one to bring along a friend for free. Ticket prices are P200 for ringside, P150 for lower box and P30 for general admission.
