AdU trips Lyceum for V-League lead

Adamson U pounced on Lyceum’s erratic game as it cruised to a 25-18, 25-22, 25-13 victory yesterday to seize the solo lead in the Shakey’s V-League 2007 Second Conference at the Arena in San Juan City.

Guest player Neriza Bautista unleashed 13 hits, including nine from kills, while Jacqueline So fired nine of her 10 hits on attacks as the Lady Falcons posted their second straight victory in the tournament sponsored by Shakey’s Pizza.

“We’re doing okay because we’re playing superb defense and we’re committing less errors,” said Adamson coach Minerva Dulce Pante, whose wards, sixth placer in the first conference, needed a little more than an hour to beat Lyceum, in Filipino.

Sherrilyn Carillo and guest player Estrelita Enriquez, a former national team mainstay in volleyball and basketball, combined for 20 hits but miscues slowed down the Lady Pirates, the reigning WNCAA volley champions.

The Emil Lontoc-mentored Lyceum squad, in fact, gave up 29 points to Adamson on errors while scoring 17 from the Lady Falcons’ miscues.

La Salle bounced back from its opening day loss to UST Sunday as it outclassed Letran, 25-18, 25-13, 25-12, in the second game.

– Joey Villar

Adamson also played more as a team, thanks to Janet Serafica’s superb game as she set up her teammates with 30 excellent sets as against Lyceum counterpart Mary Garce Babalo’s 17.

For updates on the country’s premier volley league, features/forum on its top players, complete sked, stats, results and gallery, log on to www.v-league.ph.

Games are also telecast on a delayed basis on NBN-4 starting at 2 p.m.

The win was a fitting follow-up to Adamson’s straight-set triumph over Far Eastern U side, 25-23, 25-21, 27-25, in the Sunday’s opener of the event, backed by Mikasa, Accel, 100Plus Isotonic Drink and Active White Skin whitening products.

But the Lady Falcons are expected to encounter stiff resistance from a taller San Sebastian squad headed by the power-hitting Thai import Jaroensri Bualee at resumption of action on Friday.

“They’re one of the strong teams in this tournament but if we can play and defend well, we’ll have a chance of beating them,” said Pante.