Volleyball

Lady Eagles, Stags dispute lead at V-League Volleyball

Games Tuesday

2 p.m. – Air Force vs Perpetual

4 p.m. – Ateneo vs SSC

MANILA, Aug. 8 (PNA) — Ateneo and San Sebastian clash Tuesday for the lead in a duel of fancied teams even as Air Force shoots for another win against winless Perpetual Help in the Shakey’s V-League Open Conference at The Arena in San Juan.

The Lady Eagles and the Stags are coming off contrasting stints when they slug it out in the 4 p.m. main game with the former absorbing a stinging 21-25, 24-26, 25-20, 31-29 setback to a resurgent Air Force side last Sunday that snapped a two-game win run. Read more…

Adamson’s Lady Falcons seek solo lead vs FEU Tamaraws at Shakeys V-League

Shakeys V-League Games Thursday Schedule

2 p.m. – SSC vs NU

4 p.m. – Adamson vs FEU

6 p.m. – Ateneo vs Lyceum

Standings W L

Adamson 6-2

San Sebastian 6-2

Ateneo 5-2

FEU 4-3

Lyceum 4-3

NU 2-5

Surging Adamson goes for the solo lead as it faces Far Eastern U while San Sebastian-Excelroof tries to bounce back against National U in the quarterfinal round of the Shakey’s V-League Season 7 second conference at The Arena in San Juan Thursday.

The Lady Falcons showed their readiness to claim the league’s season-ending conference crown as they repeated over the fancied Stags in another five-set thriller, 15-25, 25-21, 13-25, 25-19, 25-13, to force a two-way tie for the lead with their victim at 6-2.

Former MVP Nerissa Bautista, Angela Benting, Pau Soriano and Michelle Laborte, who combined for 60 hits against the Stags, are expected to lead the Lady Falcons’ charge again against an FEU side backstopped by the talented Rachel Anne Daquis, Michelle Carolino, Cherry May Vivas and Monique Tiangco. Read more…

Expect new faces and new challenges in the Season 7 of Shakey’s V-League

The entry of fresh faces will all the more make the upcoming Shakey’s V-League doubly exciting with new challenges facing the eight participating schools when the second conference of Season 7 gets under way Sunday at The Arena in San Juan.

San Sebastian-Excelroof, Ateneo, Lyceum, Far Eastern University and Adamson have been installed as the early favorites, their past records and current rosters enough to speak for their respective chances.

But the rest, including St. Benilde and newcomers University of Perpetual Help (UPH) and National University (NU) are raring to spring a surprise and shake the form charts in their own quest for volley glory.

“Not only will this new batch of players make the games unpredictable and more exciting, but their presence is also expected to generate interest from the fans,” said Moying Martelino, chairman of the organizing Sports Vision Management Group Inc.

As it is, the league has blossomed into a certified crowd drawer through the years with fans coming in droves, particularly during the Final Four all the way to the finals, underscoring the popularity of the sport.

In fact, University of Santo Tomas (UST)’s withdrawal paved the way for the entry of NU and Perpetual with a couple more schools signifying their intention to join the league in the future. Read more…

Jakarta 2011 South East Asian Games to have 40 sports events

Forty sports, 15 more than those contested last year in Laos, have been initially approved by the Southeast Asian Games Federation to be included in the calendar of events to be disputed in the 26th edition of the biennial conclave next year in Jakarta.

This was reported Friday by athletics president Go Teng Kok, who represented the Philippine Olympic Committee in the SEA Games Federation meeting held May 29 in Jakarta during the SCOOP Sa Kamayan weekly session at the Kamayan Restaurant-Padre Faura.

“There actually 42 sports that was recommended and approved by the assembly, but futsal was placed under football and soft tennis under lawn tennis, thus reducing the number to 40,” the controversial sports leader said during the public service form.

As in the past Games, disciplines to be contested have been categorized into three – compulsory sports athletics and swimming under Category I, other sports played in the Olympic Games and Asian Games under Category II, those not played in the Olympics and Asiad under Category III and those indigenous events but played in several countries in the region.

Bodybuilding, which was listed under Category III, was also approved for inclusion although on condition that all the cases brought to the Federation for settlement because of rampant drug abuses perpetrated by many athletes.

“In other words, body building can only be officially included upon positive reports on the investigations that are on-going,” Go said, adding that the total number of sports can still be increased as host Indonesia intimated it wants as many sports as possible,” he said. Read more…

San Sebastian’s Lady Stags vs. UST’s Tigresses for V-League crown

Game Thursday
4 p.m. – San Sebastian vs UST

It will be a question of execution and determination as San Sebastian College and University of Santo Tomas clash in sudden death for the Shakey’s V-League Season 7 title at The Arena in San Juan Thursday.

The Lady Stags have the momentum following their cliffhanger of a win, 21-25, 25-16, 15-25, 25-20, 15-13, in Game Two last Tuesday that set up this rubber match for the first conference crown starting at 4 p.m.

But the Tigresses, who took the opener of the best-of-three series, 25-21, 22-25, 25-20, 25-15, last Sunday, remain confident of their chances despite losing Game Two and two of their stalwarts to injuries.

“We still have a good chance Thursday provided they all perform well,” said Shaq de los Santos, back at the UST helm after a weeklong absence. Read more…

University of St. La Salle-Bacolod rules Shakey’s girls volley T-of-C

University of St. La Salle-Bacolod pounced on Hope Christian High School’s two miscues at endgame, pulling off a thrilling 22-25, 25-18, 25-22, 24-26, 16-14 victory to reclaim the Shakey’s Girls Volley crown in Tacloban, Leyte last week.

The La Salle spikers bounced back strong from an opening set setback as they took the next two sets only to falter in the fourth, enabling the last year’s champions to force the decider.

But USLS-Bacolod poured it all in the fifth frame, racing to a 9-3 lead but sputtered in the face of the HCS tossers’ mighty comeback.

Hope, which bagged the National Capital Region leg crown, forced a tie twice, the last at 14 but made two unforced errors to yield the match and the crown to the 2007 champions.

Joy Gallenero and Bea Tan starred for USLS-Bacolod in the middle sets as they combined for 18 kills while Hope CS drew big games from Denden Tan and Camille Cruz, who pooled 22 points to force the fifth set.

Gallinero went on to finish with 37 points and capture the coveted MVP plum in the tournament sponsored by Shakey’s Pizza and backed by Toby’s Sports, Dunkin’ Donuts, Mikasa and Asics Tan had 17 hits while Jane Borrero tossed in 11 points for USLS. Read more…