Shakey’s V-League Ace volley belles boost title chase

MANILA, Philippines - All but three of the 10 teams vying in this year’s Shakey’s V-League have tapped top-notch reinforcements, guaranteeing a spirited, slam-bang battle for women supremacy when the league kicks off its milestone 10th season Sunday at The Arena in San Juan City.

Aeriel Patnongon and Rachel Anne Daquis will beef up the star-studded, intact Ateneo crew chasing a record third straight championship in the season-opening conference of the league which celebrates its landmark 10th season.

Patnongon, a former Lady Eagle, and Daquis, the talented former FEU Lady Tam mainstay who also suited up for Army, will join the likes of Alyssa Valdez, Fille Cainglet, Gretchen Ho, Dzi Gervacio and setter Jem Ferrer when the Loyola-based squad opens defense of the crown it won over UST in thrilling fashion last year.

The Tigresses, owners of the league’s record six titles, have enlisted former stars Aiza Maizo and Rhea Dimaculangan, beefing up a roster that includes Maru Banaticla, Judy Ann Caballejo, Maika Ortiz and rising stars Pamela Lastimosa, Ma. Loren Lantin and Ma. Carmela Tunay.

“With the league’s former, certified stars joining the current cream of the crop, this is going to be a real battle,” said Moying Martelino, chairman of the organizing Sports Vision.

Not to be outdone, two-time champion San Sebastian has recalled resident Thai import Jeng Bualee and two-time MVP Suzanne Roces, who will reinforce a team composed of Czarina Berbano, Jennelyn Belen, Mae Crisostomo, Ara Mallare and prized find Gretchel Soltones.

Arellano University, one of the two newcomers in the league sponsored by Shakey’s Pizza and backed by Mikasa and Accel, signed up two of the league’s ace pioneers and former MVPs Mary Jean Balse and Nerissa Bautista, making the squad an instant title contender.

Reigning NCAA champion Perpetual Help also boasts of two ace reinforcements in Joy Cases and Mei Agarin, who will backstop a team composed of last year’s MVP Sandra delos Santos, Norie Diaz, April Sartin and Honey Rose Tubino.

University of San Carlos-Cebu, the lone Visayan team in the fold, also hopes to make an impact and impression as it tapped Ma. Abigail Praca and Regine Obinque while Letran signed up Thai import Patcharee Sangmuang and Melissa Ogana to spearhead its title drive in the country’s premier women’s volley league.

Two-time champion Adamson is also expected to show up with a pair of top-notch reinforcements along with National University and De La Salle-Dasmariñas, the other new team in the field.

The Lady Falcons, however, boasts of a talented local crew that includes Shiela Pineda, Pau Soriano and Princess Listana while the Lady Bulldogs will be led by Din-din Santiago, Carmina Aganon, Maricar Nepomuceno, Aiko Urdas and Myla Pablo.

Under the format, the 10 teams are divided into two groups and play a one-round robin elims with the top four squads from each group advancing to the quarterfinals. The Last 8 will again be grouped into two and play a single round with the top two teams in each group clashing in a pair of crossover semis. Winners will then clash for the crown in another best-of-three affair.

Making up Group A are Ateneo, UST, San Sebastian, Letran and La Salle-Dasmariñas while Perpetual, National U, Adamson, Arellano and USC make up Group B.