Lady Stags, Pirates clash in Shakey's V-League

MANILA, Philippines - The Shakey’s V-League Season 7 second conference fires off today with an explosive triple-bill featuring the San Sebastian-Lyceum clash and the Ateneo-Far Eastern U showdown at The Arena in San Juan City.

The Lady Stags, backed by Excelroof and reinforced again by the power-hitting Thai ace Jeng Bualee, get to test their strength early as they collide with the Pirates in the 2 p.m. encounter tipped to go down to the last set.

With two solid, dependable guest players in Mary Jean Balse and Dahlia Cruz, the Muralla-based squad is no pushover and is expected to provide the fancied Stags the real challenge in the latter’s bid to collar the season-ending crown in the league sponsored by Shakey’s Pizza.

The Balse-Cruz tandem’s anticipated showdown with the Bualee-Suzanne Roces pair on the net should be worth watching, making the bench support crucial in the keenly awaited duel.

Backing the Bualee-Roces duo are Joy Benito, Bonsai Mirasol, Dafna Robinos and Elaine Cruz while Balse and Cruz hope to draw the best from Joy Cases, Jamie Peña and Nikki Tabafunda.

The Lady Eagles, meanwhile, launch their title drive against the Lady Tams, another team teeming with talent, in the 4 p.m. game with the former enlisting another Thai Surasawadee Boonyuen and Alyssa Valdez as guest players.

But FEU also looks formidable with veterans Cherry May Vivas, Monique Tiangco, Rose Vargas and guest players Rachale Daquis and Michelle Carolino, ensuring another tightly fought contest between two title contenders.

National U, one of the two new teams in the league backed by Accel, Mikasa and Excelroof, hopes to make an impact right on its debut as it plays St. Benilde, a team also raring to atone for a series of so-so finishes.

The Lady Bulldogs have tapped the services of veterans Jaja Santiago and Dindin  Santiago in their serious bid to contend for at least a Final Four slot right on their first stint in the league.

But the Lady Blazers will be out there fighting behind mainstays Ren Agero, Giza Yumang, Rossan Fajardo along with guest players Jen Manzano and Zhar Velez.

The other newcomer, Perpetual Help, backstopped by Michelle Datuin and Nica Gulliamn, debuts in the second elims playdate on July 15 against Adamson, another title favorite to be led by former MVP Nene Bautista and Michelle Laborte.

With the single round robin format, every game should count for each team, guaranteeing a no-holds-barred contest among the eight teams. The top six will advance to the carry-over quarterfinals Sports Vision also said any team to win three of its five quarterfinal matches will gain the right to a playoff against the No. 6 team for the last quarterfinal berth.

The top four teams after another single round of quarters will advance to the crossover semis with the No. 1 meeting No. 4 and No. 2 facing No. 3 in a pair of best-of-three series for berths in the finals of the country’s premier women’s volley league.