SSC-Excelroof regains lead

August 27, 2010, 3:32pm

San Sebastian-Excelroof recovered from a third set breakdown to overcome Lyceum, 25-20, 25-23, 17-25, 25-18, and tie bitter-rival Adamson anew for the lead in the 7th Shakey’s V-League quarterfinals late Thursday at The Arena in San Juan City.

The SSC lasses took the first two sets with nary a trouble before losing their focus in the third that allowed the Lady Pirates to extend the game.

The 2008 second conference champions, however, quickly regrouped behind the power plays of Thai import Jaroensri Bualee to finally dispatch the Pirates in one hour and 31 minutes.

“We had another lapse. They always tend to lose focus when they are ahead. Good thing we were able to hold our ground in the fourth set,” SSC mentor Roger Gorayeb, looking for his second title after a runner-up finish to University of Santo Tomas last conference, said.

The ninth win in 11 outings enabled the Excelroof-backed SSC-R to draw level with the Lady Falcons, who scored a 28-26, 25-18, 25-15 win over Ateneo also Thursday.

Despite its loss, Lyceum still has a chance of making it to the next round as it is currently tied with Far Eastern University at fourth (5-5), just a game behind Ateneo (6-4).

Bualee unloaded 23 points all coming from kills to help SSC notch its third straight win after losing to Adamson at the start of the quarterfinal round of the event backed by Shakey’s Pizza, Accel, Mikasa and Excelroof.

With Bualee and fellow guest player Suzanne Roces peppering the opposite court, the SSC lasses frustrated the Pirates no end as they cruised to a 22-14 bubble in the fourth only to sputter anew in the end game.

source mb