Lady Patriots gain No. 3; Falcons 2nd

MANILA, Philippines - La Salle-Dasmariñas, banking on its blocking prowess, wore down San Sebastian in an extended third set duel and hacked out a 25-20, 25-17, 29-27 victory to clinch the No. 3 spot in Group A at the close of the elimination round of the Shakey’s V-League Season 10 First Conference at The Arena in San Juan yesterday.

Iari Yongco unloaded 14 hits while Mariel Desengano and Monique Tiangco each fired 10 points as they negated Jeng Bualee’s 22-hit effort for SCC to join unbeaten Ateneo and the other Nos. 1 (Natioinal U) and 3 teams in Group B in the quarterfinal round.

The Lady Patriots wound up with a 2-2 card but will carry a 0-1 slate in the next round owing to their setback to the Lady Eagles in the elims of the event sponsored by Shakey’s and backed by Mikasa and Accel.

“We did study Bualee and Sue (Roces) moves, especially Bualee’s jump-serve and hard balls and I told them to keep their composure and play with a lot of hustle,” said La Salle-Dasma coach Darwin Campana.

Adamson bounced back from a third set setback to repulse Perpetual Help, 25-11, 25-19, 20-25, 25-16, to clinch the No. 2 spot in Group B in the other game.
Shiela Pineda uncorked an 18-hit game while Angela Benting and Pau Soriano added 15 points apiece and guest player Mylene Paat chipped in 13 markers to help power the Lady Falcons to victory in 1:19.

Adamson thus finished with a 3-1 card behind National U’s 4-0 mark with the San Marcelino-based squad joining UST (3-1), San Sebastian (1-3) and Perpetual Help (1-3) in Group B in the quarters. UST and Adamson hold automatic 1-0 slates since they have beaten SSC and Perpetual, respectively, in the elims.

Ateneo, NU, La Salle-Dasma (2-2) and Arellano (2-2) make up Group A with the Lady Eagles and the Bulldogs likewise posting 1-0 cards after toppling the Lady Patriots and the Lady Chiefs in the elims.

Despite landing in the tougher group, Campana remains confident of his wards’ chances, saying they can match up with the Lady Eagles and Bulldogs’ firepower.

The La Salle-Dasma-SSC match will be shown on GMA News TV Channel 11 starting at 1 p.m. today with the Adamson-Perpetual clash, still being played at presstime, set to be aired tomorrow, according to the organizing Sports Vision. 

Cherry Nunag, Jennifer Manzano and Gieselle Bembo combined for 21 points for La Salle-Dasma, which also beat Letran, but will have its hands full against the league’s fancied teams in the quarters.

While Bualee, SSC’s resident Thai reinforcement, sustained her form and made 22 points, the rest of the Lady Stags struggled with their offense with former MVP Suzanne Roces, a regular double-digit scorer, finishing with just nine markers and Czarina Berbano and Jolina Labiano combining for nine points.