Lady Eagles aim for crown, expect B’dogs fightback
Ateneo vows to wrap it all up on Sunday but remains wary of a big National U comeback with ace guest player Dindin Santiago-Manabat back in the fold in Game Two of the Shakey’s V-League Season 12 Collegiate Conference Finals at The Arena in San Juan City.
MVP Alyssa Valdez said they have prepared long and hard for this campaign and expressed confidence of scoring a repeat over the Lady Bulldogs despite the continued absence of head coach Tai Bundit and the return of Manabat to the other side.
“We had a good preparation for this conference and we hope to continue to play the way we did in Game One,” said Valdez after leading the team in the opener with 20 hits, including 15 attack points, on her way to bagging the MVP trophy in the mid-season conference of the league sponsored by Shakey’s and presented by PLDT Home Ultera.
Valdez, however, braces for a strong NU comeback with Manabat expected to provide the firepower and poise lacking in Game One which Ateneo handily won, 25-19, 25-13, 25-23.
“Dindin will be a big factor in Game Two. Actually, NU is a strong team without her and will only get stronger with her back in the fold,” said Valdez.
But NU coach Roger Gorayeb insists it would take a team effort to stop Valdez and the Lady Eagles and exhorted his wards to step up, especially in service reception and floor defense.
A victory by NU in Game Two, to be aired live beginning at 12:45 p.m. on GMA News TV Channel 11, will send the series into a deciding third game to be played on Oct. 4, according to the organizing Sports Vision.
Ateneo swept the elims and the quarters and the first game in its best-of-three semifinal series with University of Santo Tomas. But the Tigresses snapped their run in Game Two to force a decider, where the Lady Eagles re-asserted their might in three to seal their title showdown with the Lady Bulldogs, who swept the Far Eastern U Lady Tams in their side of the Final Four.
But expecting a fierce title duel, Ateneo instead posted an easy romp, pouncing on a listless NU side and cruising to a straight-set victory that moved the Lady Eagles a win away from nailing their third collegiate plum in the league backed by Mikasa and Accel.
Meanwhile, FEU also goes for a sweep of its best-of-three series for third with UST with the Lady Tams raring to duplicate their 25-17, 26-17, 25-20 victory last week. Game Two is set this Saturday at 12:45 p.m. also to be telecast live over GMA News TV Channel 11.