Sunday, December 13, 2009

Lady Archers slam Tigresses






By Alder T. Almo
08 December 2009 07:04 PM

MANILA, Philippines – Defending champion De La Salle University (DLSU) Lady Archers showed that they remain the team to beat right in their league debut in Season 72 of the University Athletics Association of the Philippines (UAAP).

The Lady Archers came from behind to nip the University of Sto. Tomas Tigresses in five gripping sets, 20-25, 25-20, 22-25, 25-22, 15-11, during their match up at the FilOil Fying V Arena in San Juan.

DLSU, which skipped the Shakey’s V League in the pre-season, proved it still has what it takes to defend their UAAP crown as it redeemed itself from the same team that gave it a straight-set beating in the Unigames in Bacolod last October.

Fresh from winning their record fifth Shakey’s V League crown last week, UST appeared headed to victory after clinching the first set but faded in the homestretch.

After V-League conference and Finals MVP Aiza Maizo scored 4 straight points to tie the final set, 11-all, the Lady Archers blanked them the rest of the way to escape with the victory.

“Medyo hirap. Madami pang kailangang i-adjust. Pero step-by-step naman ‘yan,” said DLSU coach Ramil de Jesus.

Stephanie Mercado led the Lady Archers’ attack with 28 hits including the match point in the final set.

Charleen Cruz added 21 points while Jacqueline Alarca had 11 to caution the impact left by last season’s MVP Manila Santos, Michelle Datuin and Celine Hernandez, who already used up their playing eligibility years.

UST, meanwhile, drew 21 points from Maizo and 18 hits from rookie Maru Banaticla. Angeli Tabaquero fired 14 points but her crucial lapses did the Tigresses in.

In the other match, Shakey’s V League runner up Adamson Lady Falcons maintained their mastery over Far Eastern University Lady Tamaraws with a straight set victory, 25-18, 25-17, 30-28.

Angela Benting powered the Lady Falcons with 24 hits while Jill Gustillo backed her up with 11 points.

The Lady Tamaraws, who sorely missed their former ace spiker Rachel Daquis, was led by Shaira Gonzales’ 13 points.

FEU scores vs NU in Men’s

Earlier in the day, FEU came back after yielding the first set to score a 20-25, 25-22, 25-15, 25-21 win over National University Bulldogs in the men’s tournament.

Kirk Beliran and Joshua Alcarde led the Tamaraws with 16 and 15 hits in the match that lasted 1 hour and 16 minutes.

The other match saw the University of the East Red Warriors making a quick work of the Adamson Falcons, 25-11, 25-22, 25-22.

The Warriors easily disposed the Falcons in just 59 minutes.

Dominic Estrada, Alvin Padilla and Benchard Pedrano scored 13, 12 and 11 points, respectively to lead the Warriors’ balanced attack

Lady Archers shoot down Lady Eagles, keep hot start

By Alder T. Almo
11 December 2009 09:39 PM

Manila, Philippines – Defending champion De La Salle University continued its hot start as it blanked arch-rival Ateneo de Manila University in straight set, 25-17, 28-26, 25-23, in the UAAP Season 72 Volleyball tournament on Friday at the FilOil Flying V Arena in San Juan.

The troika of veterans Stephanie Mercado, Charleen Cruz and Jacq Alarca sizzled all game long as the Lady Archers run away with their second straight win in as many starts.

Mercado, daughter of former Asia’s Sprint Queen Lydia de Vega-Mercado, dished out a fitting follow up to her career game against UST the last time out with 17 hits this time. She scored 28 points in DLSU’s win in its season opener last Tuesday.

Cruz and Alarca chipped in 11 and 10 points, respectively for the Lady Archers who only needed 1 hour and 15 minutes to dispose the Lady Eagles.

Dzi Gervacio scored 13 hits while Fille Cainglet added 10 for the Lady Eagles, who absorbed their first loss in two games.

UST, meanwhile, recovered from the heartbreaking 2-3 setback at the hands of DLSU in its debut with a smashing straight set victory against UP Diliman, 25-18, 25-15, 25-20.

Rookie wonder Maru Banaticla and veteran Maika Ortiz led the Tigresses with 14 and 13 hits, respectively. Team captain Aiza Maizo, who captured the Shakey’s V League conference and Finals MVP, wound up with only 7 points in just 2 sets of action.

In the other matches, Far Eastern University recovered from six points down in the fourth set to finish off the University of the East, 25-22, 25-20, 21-25, 26-24.

The Lady Warriors led 23-17 on a couple of service aces from rookie Francesca Crescini to move closer to forcing a deciding fifth set.

The Lady Tamaraws, however, fought back behind veteran Cherry Vivas, who hit four of the match’s last five points in a great escape act.

Shaira Gonzales and Vivas stepped into the spots vacated by ace spikers Rachel Ann Daquis and Maika Morada as the former tallied a career-high 27 hits while the latter added 26 points. It was FEU’s first win of the season bouncing back from a straight set defeat to Adamson last Sunday.

In the first match, Adamson continued its unblemished run with another straight set win against lowly National University.

Pau Soriano and Jill Gustillo led the Lady Falcons anew with 12 points each in an easy 25-10, 25-20, 25-12 win to keep the top spot with DLSU.

Action shifts back to the Blue Eagle Gym in Ateneo tomorrow (Saturday) with a heavy four-bill action in the men’s division.

UST will stake its winning streak against Ateneo at 9 a.m. UE and FEU meets at 11 a.m. while afternoon matches will pit DLSU and UP Diliman (2 p.m.) and Adamson and NU (4 p.m.)