Ateneo, CSB spikers clash in crucial tiff

MANILA, Philippines – Ateneo-OraCare and College of St. Benilde collide in a virtual do-or-die for the last quarterfinal berth even as UST and San Sebastian zero in on the top two slots in the sixth Shakey’s V-League at The Arena in San Juan today.

The Lady Eagles remain in fifth place with a 2-2 card, two games behind SSC, FEU and Adamson, while half-a-game farther back is St. Benilde with a 2-3 mark heading into the final week of the single round elims phase.

That makes their 2 p.m. encounter crucial in their bid to stay in the hunt for a slot in the next round where top provincial teams University of St. La Salle-Bacolod and University of San Jose-Recoletos will join the top four teams.

University of Santo Tomas, which stopped Far Eastern U in four sets in a duel of the leaders last Tuesday, guns for the first quarterfinal berth as it takes on ousted Lyceum in the 6 p.m. main game.

The Tigresses, seeking their fourth championship in the league sponsored by Shakey’s Pizza and organized by Sports Vision, show the way with a 4-1 slate and are heavily favored to roll past the Lady Pirates, out of it all with a 1-5 mark.

Like UST, San Sebastian is tipped to dominate winless Univ. of the Philippines in their 4 p.m. duel and clinch a seat in the next round of the tournament backed by Accel, Mikasa and OraCare.

Ateneo and St. Benilde are both coming off five-set squeakers with the Lady Eagles dealing the Tigresses their first setback behind the endgame heroics of alumna Charo Soriano. The Blazers, on the other hand, leaned on guest player Maureen Penetrante to oust Lyceum.

For details, log on to www.v-league.ph.

The Loyola-based spikers are also raring to get back at the Blazers who beat them last conference topped by the Lady Stags.

“We have to play as a team and go all-out to remain in the quarterfinal race,” said Ateneo-OraCare coach Michelle Laborte, who is expected to rely on Soriano, Thai import Keawbundit Sontaya, Kara Acevedo, Dzi Gervacio, Gretchen Ho and Jem Ferrer, the league’s leading setter.

St. Benilde, which tops the league in blocks, will try to draw the best not only from Penetrante but also from Ivy Remulla, Giza Yumang, Katty Kwan and setter Ren Agero.

“We are still on target to make it to the Top 4,” said CSB mentor Thelma Barina-Rojas.