V-League: Ateneo, Adamson go for the kill vs semis rivals - gmanews

source: gmanews.tv

Tournament favorites Ateneo and Adamson go for the kill against their respective semifinals rivals on Tuesday and set up a Finals showdown in the 8th Shakey’s V-League First Conference at The Arena in San Juan.

Adamson battles University of St. La Salle-Bacolod in the first game at 2 p.m. while Ateneo clashes with National University at 4 p.m.

The Lady Eagles and the Lady Falcons will try to formalize their entry by finishing off the semifinals series with a victory against their opponents and hope to arrange a rematch of the 2008 First Conference titular showdown.

The first time these two teams met in the Finals, Adamson defeated Ateneo.

“Kung makakaya naming tapusin na, pipilitin na namin para wala na kaming ibang aalalahanin, makakapaghanda pa kami ng maayos sa Finals," said Adamson coach Dulce Pante after her team won in straight sets, 25-19, 25-23, 25-22, in the opener of the best-of-three Final Four series last Thursday.

“Wala na kaming gagawing adjustment. Kung ano yung nilaro namin ngayon, ganundin ang gagawin namin sa susunod. Pero may tututukan ako ngayon,yung spike ni Mic-Mic."

Mic-Mic is none other than Laborte, one of the team’s guest players and top hitters, who only made eight points in the first game. But Laborte is still recuperating from a right arm injury which she incurred while playing beach volleyball in Indonesia late last month.

But USLS is not ready to throw the white towel.

Guest players Aiza Maizo and Jovelyn Gonzaga were given a few days to the Lady Stingers’ system. They struggled in their first game, where they combined for only 13 hits.

Also expected to make up for her conference low six points last Thursday is Patty Owrendain, the team and league’s leading scorer.

Like the Lady Stingers, the Lady Bulldogs are battling for survival. They lost 27-25, 14-25, 10-25, 19-25. But Ateneo coach Charo Soriano is not counting out NU, which is playing with nothing to lose.

“The Lady Bulldogs are resilient, they are capable of coming back in this series," said the Ateneo’s rookie mentor.

Soriano will again pin her hopes on their explosive guest players — Thai Lithawat Kesinee and Alyssa Valdez.

NU coach Francis Vicente will rely on his guest players Denise Santiago, Cherry May Vivas and Monique Tiangco in hope of salvaging a win and forcing a do-or-die match. - RCJ, GMA News