Pinoy Spikers (Philippine Spike)

THE good old power game of University of Santo Tomas guest player Jean Balse is back – on the right time. Balse fired a personal tournament-high 16 hits to lead the Tigresses to a 25-21, 22-25, 25-20, 25-15 victory over San Sebastian College and snatch the series opener in the Shakey’s V-League first conference finals Sunday night before a big crowd at the Filoil Flying V Arena in San Juan.

UST will gun for a ‘three-peat’ and its sixth title overall with another win in Game 2 slated Tuesday.  Game 3, if necessary, is scheduled on Thursday.

“Si Balse, well executed ang ginagawa niya sa net.  Besides, yung energy niya sa paglalaro, wala ka nang mahihiling sa kanya,” said Tigresses mentor Vilet Ponce de Leon. But UST lost Angeli Tabaquero, who suffered a knee injury in the opening frame, where the Tigresses hold a 11-7 advantage.

Tabaquero did not return to the game, as she was brought to the UST hospital for a MRI. “We have a deep bench, mayroon pa akong outside hitter na si Maru (Banaticla) and I’m glad she stepped up.  Yun nga lang mami-miss namin sa kanya yung leadership sa court,” said Ponce de Leon.

Despite being in worst form, Aiza Maizo still finished with 15 points while Maika Ortiz added 12 hits for UST.
The full might of the ‘Great Wall’ of the Tigresses showed in Game 1, where the España-based spikers scored 15 blocks, with four coming from Maizo and Ortiz.

UST hopes to equal La Salle’s feat in the 2004-06 season, where the Lady Archers won three consecutive crowns.
Thai import Jeng Bualee collected 22 points while Melissa Mirasol had 13 hits for the Lady Stags.

Tournament MVP Suzanne Roces and Joy Benito were a big disappointment for San Sebastian, as the two hitters could only muster 11 and 10 points, respectively.

Balse led the Tigresses in a comeback from a 0-5 deficit in the third frame to take a 21-15 lead, and the Lady Stags did not know what they hit them during that big UST salvo.

In the first game, Thai import Sontaya Keawbundit set a new league scoring record of 38 points as Ateneo moved a win away in clinching the third place with a 19-25, 25-15, 25-21, 20-25, 15-10 win over Lyceum.

The Lady Eagles can complete their best finish in two years with another victory in Game 2 also slated Tuesday.
Sontaya shattered the old mark of 37 hits registered by Adamson’s Angela Benting in the 2009 second conference semifinals and Lithawat Kesinee of Ateneo in the 2007 second conference semis.

“I did not think about the score, but to help the team win,” said Sontaya thru an interpreter. “But I’m thankful for the blessing that I have received and hopefully we’ll win again in the next game.” Dzi Gervacio added 14 hits for the Lady Eagles, who lost to the Lady Stags in the semifinals.  The Katipunan-based squad won a five-set match for the first time in the tournament sponsored by Shakey’s Pizza and backed by PLDT myDSL.

Guest player Dalhia Cruz collected a personal tournament-high 21 hits while Nica Guliman and Tip Santrong added 16 and 13 points, respectively, for the Lady Pirates, who bowed to the Tigresses in three games in the ‘Final Four’.
Meanwhile, Roces bagged her first ever MVP award in a brief ceremonies before the championship opener.

Other individual awardees include Bualee (Best Scorer), Maizo (Best Spiker), Lyceum standouts Santrong (Best Receiver), Guliman (Best Blocker) and Nikki Tabafunda (Best Server), Adamson’s Lizlee Ann Gata (Best Digger), San Sebastian’s Jennelyn Belen (Best Setter) and Benito (Most Improved Player). (TJ)