Lady Pirates Gain Quarters, Trounce Bulldogs

Lyceum overpowered National U in the last two sets and coasted to a 25-16, 23-25, 25-16, 25-13 win as it joined San Sebastian-Excelroof, Ateneo, Adamson and Far Eastern U in the quarterfinal round of the Shakey’s V-League Season 7
second conference at The Arena in San Juan late Thursday.

Guest players Mary Jean Balse and Dahlia Cruz outhit counterparts Denise Santiago and Mervic Mangui, 30-19, and the Lady Pirates dominated the net with 11 blocks to fashion out the one-hour and seven-minute victory.

The Lady Pirates thus closed out its elims campaign with a 4-3 slate, assuring themselves of a spot in the carry-over quarterfinal round, another single round robin phase, with the top four teams to advance in the Final Four.

The loss dropped the Lady Bulldogs to 2-5, still in sixth place but whose quarterfinal bid is now threatened by Perpetual Help, which totes a 1-5 slate in the season-ending conference sponsored by Shakey’s Pizza.

The Altas seek a win against winless St. Benilde while hoping for an NU loss to powerhouse Ateneo to force a playoff for the last QF berth.

Balse, a former MVP in the league organized by Sports Vision, unloaded 20 hits, including 18 hills, while Cruz added 12 attacks and finished with 15 points for the Lady Pirates, who also drew a steady game from Joy Cases, Jamie Peña and
Marie Casanova, who combined for 33 points.

The Lady Bulldogs looked headed for a big rebound after snatching a 25-23 win in the second set to draw level. But they lost their momentum in the face of the Pirates’ explosive charge in the third before bowing out in the next frame.
Mangui picked herself up from a pair of below-par performances and had 14 hits this time while Maricar Nepomuceno and Santiago added 11 and 10 points, respectively, for the Lady Bulldogs.

Meanwhile, Ateneo survived a big scare from St. Benilde and escaped with a 19-25, 25-18, 20-25, 25-23, 17-15 cliffhanger to advance in the tournament backed by Accel, Mikasa and Excelroof.

The Lady Eagles bucked the 23-hit explosion by St. Benilde’s Giza Yumang and the solid games of Cindy Optima (18), Zharmaine Velez (17) and Rossan Fajardo to clinch the win in the one-hour, 54-minute encounter.

It was a sorry loss for the Lady Blazers, who badly needed the victory to stay in the hunt for the last quarters berth. They bowed out with a 0-6 card.

Thai import Surasawadee Boonyuen scattered 28 hits and drew 23 points from Angeline Gervacio and Bea Pascual. But the Lady Eagles just couldn’t finish off the stubborn Blazers and even needed to steal the fourth set to force a decider.

V-League.ph