Lady Stags thwart Tams, enter V-League quarterfinals

MANILA, Philippines - San Sebastian College overwhelmed Far Eastern U with its power game, fashioning out a 25-17, 25-20, 25-16 victory to advance to the quarterfinals in the sixth Shakey’s V-League at The Arena in San Juan City yesterday.

Thai import Jaroensri Bualee again stood in the forefront of SSC charge, firing away a game-high 23 hits, including four of the team’s last six points capped by a drop shot that ended the 1:07 encounter.

The Lady Stags thus joined the UST Tigresses in the next round of the league sponsored by Shakey’s Pizza with similar 5-1 slates, reducing the battle for the last two slots into a three-team affair among FEU, Adamson and Ateneo-OraCare.

Laurence Latigay also dished out an impressive performance, finishing with 17 points, including 15 hits.

“Our team is slowly starting to gel and our game is definitely getting stronger,” said San Sebastian coach Roger Gorayeb.

The Lady Stags likewise put up a solid net defense, foiling the Lady Tams’ top hitters majority of the contest with spiker Rachel Anne Daquis struggling for only three kills.

Earlier, Adamson primed up for its crucial match with San Sebastian with a straight-set 25-15, 25-13, 25-16 victory over Univ. of the Philippines to assure itself of a playoff for the last quarterfinal berth in the tournament organized by Sports Vision and backed by Accel, Mikasa and OraCare.

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The win was the defending champions’ fourth in six games, tying Ateneo-OraCare in fourth with one playdate left in the single round elims.

Nerissa Bautista atoned for her mediocre showing in Adamson’s three-set loss to Far Eastern U last Sunday as she fired 15 hits while Rissa Jane Laguilles and Paulina Soriano added 14 and 13 points, respectively, for the Lady Falcons.

Setter Joanna Botor-Carpio, who replaced Janet Serafica last Sunday, settled down with her game and produced 37 excellent sets to anchor the team’s offense.

The Lady Falcons face the Stags, winner of last year’s second conference, in the last day of elims tomorrow where the winner will advance to the next round.

“We have to limit Thai import Jaroensri Bualee with our blocking. This is the key for us to advance,” said Adamson coach Dulce Pante.

Cathy Barcelon paced UP with nine hits while Rubie de Leon had six points for the Lady Maroons, who closed out their first campaign in the league.