Lady Eagles nail 2nd win; Pirates stop USJ-R spikers

Ateneo pummeled St. Benilde with a power game and romped away with a 25-12, 25-9, 25-17, victory yesterday to seize the solo lead with two victories in the quarterfinal round of the Shakey’s V-League Season 5 at The Arena in San Juan.

Scoring heavily on quick plays, Thai import Em-orn Phanusit knocked in 17 hits while Ma. Carmina Acevedo added 10 kills for a 13-point output for the Lady Eagles, who duplicated their straight-set victory over the Lyceum Pirates last Sunday to boost their drive in the single round quarterfinal phase among six teams.

Lyceum foiled Univ. of San Jose-Recoletos’ bid to keep in step with Ateneo as the Lady Pirates pulled off a 26-24, 25-27, 25-17, 25-13 victory over the Cebuanos in the second game to tie their victim at 1-1.

Far Eastern U, meanwhile, survived Univ. of St. La Salle-Bacolod’s as it hacked out a thrilling 25-16, 18-25, 18-25, 25-20, 15-13 victory to seize solo second with a 1-0 card.

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Cherry Vivas and Shaira Gonzalez delivered two of the last three points for FEU in a tightly fought decider as the reigning UAAP champions spoiled the Bacolod netters’s debut in the league sponsored by Shakey’s Pizza.

Beverly Boto, the league’s No. 1 scorer, played true to form and battered the USJ-R defense with 23 hits while coming up with four blocks and one service winner to finish with 28 points.

Dahlia Cruz added 17 points while Jane Jarin chipped in 11 as Lyceum recovered from a shaky stint in the first two sets to take the last two in convincing fashions.

“We cashed in on our advantage in the middle because of Boto and Cruz and we were able to neutralize their open spikers,” said Lyceum coach Emil Lontoc.

Genie Sabas led USJ-R with 16 points while Julett Mae Marikit had 10 as guest player Mechell Matuguina, who debuted with 16 points in the team’s three-set win over St. Benilde last Sunday, was held to nine points, the same output put in by Mary Joy Bonita.

So dominating was Ateneo in the second set as it held St. Benilde to just nine points en route to an 18-minute victory.

St. Benilde showed up with former national team mainstay Thelma Barina-Rojas, who finished with six points.