SSC-Excelroof eyes V-League quarterfinal vs NU

MANILA, Philippines -  Foiled the last time out, San Sebastian-Excelroof is expected to vent its ire on National U as it resumes its quest for the first quarterfinal berth in the Shakey’s V-League Season 7 second conference at The Arena in San Juan today.

The Lady Stags saw their four-game win snappped and their bid for the outright QF berth thwarted by a resurgent Adamson side, which pulled off an inspiring 16-25, 26-24, 25-23, 16-25, 15-10, last Thursday.

But the Recoletos-based squad is raring to rebound from that setback against an NU team also raring to prove its worth and boost its own quarterfinal bid, making the 4 p.m. encounter a game to watch.

The Lady Falcons, meanwhile, hope to come up with a follow-up to that big win over the fancied Stags as they take on the winless St. Benilde Lady Blazers in the 2 p.m. opener of another triple-bill in the league sponsored by Shakey’s Pizza.

But the Blazers are expected to come out fighting in a bid to stay alive in the race to the six-team quarterfinals of the season-ending tournament organized by Sports Vision and backed by Accel, Mikasa and Excelroof.

Ateneo, on the other hand, gets back into action after a 10-day break as it battles a surging Lyceum side in the 6 p.m. main game.

Adamson and Lyceum are tied with Far Eastern U with 3-2 cards while Ateneo has a 2-1 slate and NU just within the six-team cut with a 2-2 slate. Perpetual Help is in seventh with a 1-4 mark and needs to sweep its last two games in the elims to stay in the hunt while St. Benilde still looking for a win after four losses.

But focus will be on Thai Jeng Bualee, Suzanne Roces, Joy Benito, Elaine Cruz, Melissa Mirasol and Dafna Robiños who will go up against Mervic Mangui, Maricar Nepomuceno, Rizza Mandapat, Elaine Sagun and guest players Denise Santiago and Daphne Santiago in the featured SSC-NU clash.

NU also hopes to atone for its miserable showing the last time out, a straight-set loss to FEU where no Bulldog was able to score in double-figure.