Arellano pummels St. Louis, makes V-League quarters

Games Thursday (The Arena, San Juan City)

2 p.m. – Adamson vs Arellano U

4 p.m. – FEU vs NU

MANILA, Philippines – Arellano U smashed a listless St. Louis of Baguio with plenty to spare, hacking out a quick, merciless 25-13, 25-9, 25-13 victory to become the first team to advance to the quarterfinals of the Shakey's V-League Season 11-1st Conference at The Arena in San Juan City Tuesday.

Christine Joy Rosario came through with a solid, all-around effort as she finished with a match-high 15 hits, 11 coming off attacks and four from blocks, while Dana Henson scattered 10 of her own to send the Lady Chiefs straight to the quarters.

"Our reception and blocking did it for us," said Arellano U coach Obet Javier, who steered the Legarda-based lady spikers a game away from clinching its first NCAA women's volleyball title before losing to eventual champion Perpetual Help last season, in Filipino.

Spearheaded by the scrappy Rosario, Arellano U completely shut the door for the attackers of St. Louis, which managed only 16 kills out 91 attempts, way below the former's whopping 39 of 92 tries.

The Lady Chiefs also did well receiving the ball, which turned out a stark contrast for the Lady Navigators as Mary Jane Ticar and Elaine Sagun launched service missiles after service missiles by combining for five aces.

So dominating was Arellano U, which has raked in four consecutive triumphs including a shock 21-25, 25-16, 17-25, 25-20 win over reigning Ateneo titlist Ateneo, that the match lasted only a little more than an hour.

It was the fastest win for the Lady Chiefs after it also made short work of the St. Benilde Lady Blazers, their collegiate rivals at NCAA, in just an hour and four minutes, 25-19, 25-17, 25-16, last week.

Javier though is more concerned of winning.

"It doesn't matter how long or how quick we won, the most important thing is we kept on winning," he said.

St. Louis, which was paced by Roxanne Almonte's eight hits, fell to its third straight defeat to stay at the bottom of Group A.

Angelica Legacion served as the adhesive that kept Arellano U together, coming through with 16 excellent sets that fueled the team's unrelenting net attack.

Arellano goes for an elimination round sweep of Group A as it clashes with dangerous Adamson at 2 p.m. Thursday at the same venue.