SSC spikers test SWU mettle

MANILA, Philippines - Perennial NCAA champion San Sebastian gets the chance to gauge Southwestern U’s strength early as the Lady Stags collide with the Cebu titlists in the second playdate of the Shakey’s V-League Season 7 at The Arena in San Juan today.

Tipped as one of the title contenders, the top Visayan team will be backstopped by a Thai import in its quest for glory in the country’s premier women’s volleyball tournament although it will take more than the talent and skills of Piyatada Lasungnern to topple the best teams in the league.

For one, the Lady Stags are out to atone for their fourth place finish in the last conference on a team built around mainstays Joy Benito, Bonsai Mirasol, Mari Pepito, Dafna Robinos and guest player Suzanne Roces.

The Recoletos-based spikers, who reigned in the 2008 second conference, also re-enlisted former Thai import Jeng Bualee, whose match up with Lasungnern will highlight the 4 p.m. encounter between the two fancied teams.

Lasungnern, a mainstay of Thailand’s national team, saw action in the Asian Youth Girls Volleyball Tournament and the World Youth Volleyball Championships and is expected to bolster SWU’s title bid against an equally talented field. She will be supported by Danika Yolanda Gendrauli and Rafril Aguilar and a slew of other power hitters.

Adamson, also a one-time winner in the league sponsored by Shakey’s Pizza and presented by PLDT MyDSL, opens its campaign against Lyceum, which also tapped the services of a Thai player in Tip Santrong in its attempt to contend for this year’s crown.

The 23-year-old Santrong, a six-time member of the Thailand national team, hopes to provide the power and leadership for a Lyceum team that includes Igay Artates, Nica Guliman, Joan dela Peña, Jamie Peña and Joy Cases.

The Lady Pirates, whose best finish in the league backed by Accel, Mikasa, Mighty Bond and PLDT Watchpad was third, take on the Lady Falcons in the 2 p.m. opener. Adamson will be bannered by former MVP Nene Bautista and Cha-Cha Moralde and veterans Pau Soriano, Jill Gustilo, Tatan Gata and Angela Benting.

Meanwhile, the UST-FEU match last Sunday will be shown on NBN-4 starting at 2 p.m. today while the Adamson-Lyceum game and the SWU-SSC clash will be aired Wednesday and Thursday, respectively.

UST and Ateneo hurdled their respective rivals in Sunday’s opener. The Tigresses, seeking a third straight championship following a sweep of last year’s titles, defeated the FEU Lady Tams, 25-9, 25-13, 25-13. The Lady Eagles, reinforced by Thai Sontaya Keawbundit, held off St. Benilde, 25-21, 26-24, 25-19.