Pinoy Spikers (Philippine Spike)

WITH the way it crushed the opposition in the past few matches, Adamson plunge in their best-of-three title showdown with Ateneo as heavy favorites for the Shakey’s V-League first conference crown. The championship opener is set at 4 p.m. Sunday at the Filoil Flying V Arena in San Juan. In the 2008 first conference finals, the Lady Falcons handily won over the Lady Eagles, where rookie coach Charo Soriano was still playing for Ateneo.

Adamson is going to follow up its 2010 second conference title it won over Sebastian College. Lady Falcons mentor Dulce Pante is confident about her chances to repeat against the Lady Eagles, who are looking for their first-ever championship in the league sponsored by Shakey’s Pizza.

With two titles, Adamson is seeking to tie with La Salle as the league’s second winningest team. University of Santo Tomas, which has missed the last two editions, remains on top with six diadems. “Ganoon pa rin, nakikita naman sa performance ng mga bata, mas maganda ang inilalaro nila.  Medyo abante kami sa floor defense, gayundin sa opensa, at mas malalim ang bench namin,” said Pante. Read the rest of this entry »

ATENEO and National University dispute the remaining finals berth in a semifinals decider which is expected to be a tension-filled and emotional one in the Shakey’s V-League first conference Thursday at the Filoil Flying V Arena in San Juan.

The winner of the 4 p.m. knockout game will meet Adamson in the best-of-three championship which kicks off on Sunday.

Hours after their series opening win was nullified due to a technicality, the Lady Eagles bounced back on the playing court with an empathic 25-14, 25-18, 25-20 victory over the Lady Bulldogs the other day. Read the rest of this entry »

ADAMSON claimed its second straight finals appearance by repulsing University of St. La Salle of Bacolod, 26-24, 22-25, 25-17, 25-17, Tuesday in Game 2 of the Shakey’s V-League first conference semifinals at the Filoil Flying V Arena in San Juan. The Lady Falcons won the best-of-three series, 2-0, to grab a shot at a third championship. Adamson is seeking to tie La Salle as the second winningest team in the league sponsored by Shakey’s Pizza.

“Expected na namin na makabalik sa finals.  Gusto naming tapusin agad ang series at nagawa naman namin,” said a jubilant Lady Falcons mentor Dulce Pante.“Kung iisipin mo, tao sa tao, makikita mong lamang kami,” she added. But Adamson will have to wait a few days to determine its best-of-three championship opponent as Ateneo vented its ire on the court with a 25-14, 25-18, 25-20 victory over National University.

The deciding Game 3 is slated Thursday. Hours before Game 2, the league yesterday nullified the Lady Eagles series opening win over the Lady Bulldogs for using a libero as a regular player during the match. Ateneo reserve Bea Tan was fielded in the fourth set of Game 1, which NU coach Francis Vicente field a protest. Read the rest of this entry »

NENE Bautista filled in the gap of fellow guest player Michelle Laborte’s lackluster performance as Adamson neared to a second straight finals stint with a 25-19, 25-23, 25-22 win over University of St. La Salle of Bacolod Thursday in the Shakey’s V-League first conference semifinals at the Filoil Flying V Arena in San Juan.

Bautista fired 21 hits to help the Lady Falcons seize the 1-0 advantage in the best-of-three series and spoil the debut of new Lady Stingers reinforcements Aiza Maizo and Jovelyn Gonzaga.

In the second game, Ateneo moved closer in clinching its first championship stint in four seasons by turning back National University, 25-27, 25-14, 25-10, 25-19.

Using their fourth starting six this season with the absence of Dzi Gervacio due to school commitments, the Lady Eagles lost the first frame, but bounced back in the next three to seize the upperhand in the best-of-three series. Read the rest of this entry »