Lady Eagles try to hold off surgin' Cobras

MANILA, Philippines - Fancied Ateneo hopes to prick Southwestern U’s growing bubble as it goes for its third straight victory in Group A while Group B leader Perpetual Help tries to match that Eagles’ run as it takes on St. Benilde in the eighth Shakey’s V-League at the Filoil Flying V Arena in San Juan today.

The Lady Eagles won their first two games but face a tough challenge against the Lady Cobras in the 4 p.m. encounter with the latter winning their last two matches after bowing to Lyceum last week.

The victory included a 3-1 decision over fancied San Sebastian last Tuesday, putting the Visayan squad in second and well within sight of a berth in the quarterfinal round of the league’s first conference sponsored by Shakey’s Pizza.

“You can’t take any team lightly here and we should always play our best against anybody,” said Ateneo coach and former star Charo Soriano. “Against the Lady Cobras, we have to be ready.”

The winner will clinch the first quarters seat in Group A, the same target eyed by Perpetual Help, which is tipped to get past winless St. Benilde in their 2 p.m. match.

Perpetual gained a big break when it won a lost game against Adamson due to eligibility violation last Thursday, giving the Lady Altas a 2-0 card in Group B.

The Lady Stags, meanwhile, try to recover lost ground as it battles Lyceum in the 6 p.m mainer of a triplebill in the tournament organized by Sports Vision and backed by Mikasa as official ball and Accel as official outfitter.

Games can be viewed live on www.v-league.ph.

Ateneo is coming off a tough 25-19, 24-26, 17-25, 25-19, 15-6 victory over Lyceum last Sunday but remains confident of its chances against SWU, which battled back from a set down to sweep the next three in close fashions, 24-26, 25-23, 25-23, 25-20.

Guest player Alyssa Valdez, who knocked in a career high 27 points against Lyceum, hopes to dish out another solid game for the Eagles, along with Thai import Lithawat Kesinee, Fille Cainglet, Dzi Gervacio, Gretchen Ho, Jem Ferrer and libero Denden Lazaro.

 “I’m focusing right now on the conditioning on the players and I hope the girls would execute their plays well. The potential of the team is there,” said Soriano.