V-League: Ateneo out to boost bid

MANILA, Philippines - Ateneo and Lyceum go for crucial wins against a pair of tough opponents as they try to hold off the fifth-running FEU in their battle for the last two semifinal berths in the Shakey’s V-League Season 7 second conference at The Arena in San Juan today.

The Lady Eagles, in third behind joint leaders and early semifinalist San Sebastian-Excelroof and Adamson (8-2), shoot for their seventh win in 10 games against the streaking Lady Falcons at 4 p.m. while the Pirates, in fourth with a 5-4 slate, take on the Lady Stags in the 6 p.m. main game.

FEU, one game behind Lyceum at 4-5, squares off with National U in the 2 p.m. opener, hoping to stay in the hunt for the last Final Four berth in the tournament sponsored by Shakey’s Pizza.

But the Lady Bulldogs, with a 2-7 card, are also going all out for a victory, the first of three that they need to sweep to keep their flickering semis hopes alive.

While the Lady Tams are slightly favored over the Bulldogs, the same could not be said of Ateneo and Lyceum as they face formidable rivals in Adamson and San Sebastian which are also out to firm up their respective final bids.

It will be a question of execution and net defense as Thai import Surasawaee Boonyuen, Gretchen Ho, Fille Cainglet, Alyssa Valdez, Bea Pascual try to neutralize the talented Adamson roster composed of Nerissa Bautista, Michelle Laborte, Angela Benting, Lourdes Patilano, Pau Soriano and Gail Martin.

SSC, meanwhile, will again pin its hopes on Jeng Bualee, the league’s scoring leader with a 23-hit norm, and the likes of Suzanne Roces, Joy Benito, Elaine Cruz, Melissa Mirasol and Jennelyn Belen as they try to defuse the Lyceum side built around Mary Jean Balse, Dahlia Cruz, Jamie Peña, Joy Cases and Ann Tabafunda.

Meanwhile, the FEU-NU game will be shown on NBN-4 starting at 2 p.m tomorrow while the Adamson-Ateneo contest will be aired on Saturday. The SSC-Lyceum match will be telecast on Sunday.