FEU, Ateneo dispute last semis berth

MANILA, Philippines - Far Eastern U and Ateneo-OraCare clash today in an expected down-to-the-wire contest in a playoff for the fourth and last berth in the Final Four of the Shakey’s V-League Season 6 second conference at The Arena in San Juan.

The two teams split their two meetings in the conference with the Lady Tams trouncing the Lady Eagles, 3-1, in the elims and the Loyola-based squad evening things up with a similar 3-1 victory at the start of the quarters.

But Ateneo appears to enjoy the momentum, hurdling fancied UST in five sets last Friday to force the sudden death for the fourth semis berth in the tournament sponsored by Shakey’s Pizza.

Three teams actually tied for third at 7-5 at the end of the quarters but Adamson clinched the third semis seat after UST and San Sebastian with a superior tiebreak score, leaving Ateneo and FEU to dispute the last Final Four slot.

But while Ateneo recovered in time, FEU is on a skid, losing four of their five games in the quarters after an impressive 6-1 campaign in the single round-robin elims of the tournament backed by Mikasa, Accel, Mighty Bond and OraCare.

But records, momentum and the likes will hardly be factors in a sudden death with the Eagles and the Tams expected to pour it all out in a no-tomorrow contest.

One thing going for Ateneo is top hitter Charo Soriano is back after a two-week vacation in the US, scoring 13 hits to help the team nip UST.

She is again expected to lead the Lady Eagles make-or-break bid along with top scorer Fille Cainglet, Angeline Gervacio, Denise Acevedo, Jamenea Ferrer, Bea Pascual and Gretchen Ho.

FEU will surely come up with key adjustments to check its skid with Cherry Vivas, the league’s current scoring leader, Rachel Daquis, Shaira Gonzalez, Rose Cabanag and Monique Tiangco spearheading the Lady Tams’ bid.

The match can be viewed live on webcast on www.v-league.ph with NBN-4 airing the game on a delayed basis starting at 2 p.m. tomorrow (Monday), according to the organizing Sports Vision. — end it//thanks