Ateneo, SSC gain Shakey's quarters

MANILA, Philippines - San Sebastian and Ateneo-OraCare came away with straight-set victories over Lyceum and St. Benilde, respectively, to advance to the quarterfinal round of the Shakey’s V-League Season 6 at The Arena in San Juan yesterday.

The Lady Stags, the reigning five-time NCAA champions, rallied from a 20-23 deficit in the second set then outlasted the Lady Pirates in the third to complete a 25-13, 28-26, 25-21 victory, their third in four starts.

The Lady Eagles, on the other hand, pounced on the absence of St. Benilde’s skipper Giza Yumang and top hitter Kara Agero as they coasted to a 25-22, 25-13, 25-18, romp over the Lady Blazers for joint fourth with the Adamson Lady Falcons at 3-2.

SSC and Ateneo thus joined UST (5-0) and FEU (5-1) in the next round of the tournament sponsored by Shakey’s Pizza while towing Adamson to the quarters.

That leaves the fight for the sixth and last quarterfinal berth among St. Benilde (1-4), Lyceum (0-5) and UP (0-5) with two games left for all teams.

San Sebastian used a 5-1 counterattack, capped by a Joy Benito kill, to turn a 20-23 deficit to a 25-24 edge in the second set. Lyceum fought back and forced two deadlocks only to yield the set as Margarita Pepito came up with a hit to lift the Lady Stags.

The Lady Pirates kept the game close in the third, holding their fancied rivals to a 21-all count, before Benito scored two of SSC’s next three points then Lyceum’s Angelic Alcantara committed a setting violation to yield the set and the match.

“At least, we have achieved our initial goal to get into the top six. Now our target is to make it to the semis but we know it will be tough. We just have to take it one game at a time,” said SSC coach Roger Gorayeb.

Benito finished with 18 hits while Jinni Mondejar and Melissa Mirasol added nine apiece for the Lady Stags.

Meanwhile, the Ateneo-St. Benilde match will be shown at 2 p.m. today on NBN-4, while the SSC-Lyceum game will be telecast tomorrow, according to the organizing Sports Vision.

Earlier, Fille Cainglet scored 16 points, Angeline Gervacio scattered 12 attacks and finished with 14 hits while guest player Charo Soriano and skipper Denise Acevedo tossed in nine and seven points, respectively, for the Lady Eagles, who will be facing the SSC Lady Stags in tomorrow’s featured contest.

St. Benilde dropped to 1-4 for sixth spot, giving Lyceum and UP a chance to vie for the last quarterfinal berth in the league backed by Mikasa, Accel, Mighty Bond and OraCare.