Pinoy Spikers (Philippine Spike)

ARELLANO University and University of Perpetual Help System Dalta forged a finals showdown after beating their respective foes Friday in the NCAA men’s volleyball tournament at the Emilio Aguinaldo College Gym.

The Chiefs ended Letran’s three-year reign with a 25-23, 25-22, 25-23, win for a 2-0 record.

The Altas outlasted San Beda College, 18-25, 25-17 25-20, 25-21, to notch their second straight victory.

Chris Salvador and skipper John Lozada combined for 26 markers for Arellano, which is seeking to follow up its men’s beach volleyball crown conquest last September. Read the rest of this entry »

WITH the six-time champion University of Santo Tomas out in the Shakey’s V-League second conference, this is the best chance for the four contending squads to shine.

Ateneo will face a retooled Far Eastern University squad, while Lyceum tangles with reigning NCAA champion San Sebastian College at the start of the season-ending tournament next Sunday (July 11) at the Filoil Flying V Arena in San Juan.

The Lady Eagles-Lady Tamaraws match is set at 4 p.m., while the Lady Pirates, now powered by guest player Mary Jean Balse, will meet the Lady Stags in the last game of the tripleheader at 6 p.m.

National University will make its league debut against College of Saint Benilde at 2 p.m.

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FORMER University of Santo Tomas standout Mary Jean Balse will bring her winning ways to Lyceum in the Shakey’s V-League second conference which will open on July 11 at the Filoil Flying V Arena in San Juan.

In a bid to bounce back from a fourth place finish in the first conference, the Lady Pirates has acquired the services of Balse as guest player along with Dalhia Cruz.

Balse has won four titles for the Tigresses, who decided to skip the season-ending tournament to allow the players a much-dserved rest.

Lyceum, which lost to UST in three games in the semis last conference, will also lean on Joy Cases, Jamie Peña, Nikki Tabafunda and Tin Casanova.

The season-ending tournament will feature National University and University of Perpetual Help System Dalta joining the Shakey’s V-League for the first time.

Sisters Dindin and Jaja Santiago will bolster the Lady Bulldogs’ frontline along with Mervic Mangui, Maricar Nepomuceno and libero Jennilyn Reyes.

The Lady Altas will use the conference as their build up in the NCAA women’s volleyball tournament, which will be played in the second semester starting this year.

Ace setter Keshia de Luna, April Ann Sartin, Sandra delos Santos and Ronarry dela Cruz will banner Perpetual Help’s bid.

Also competing in the second conference are Adamson, Ateneo, Far Eastern University, San Sebastian College and College of Saint Benilde.

“Actually, we had to turn down a number of schools because we could only accept two to maintain the level playing field,” said Moying Martelino, chair of the organizing Sports Vision. (T.J.)

UNIVERSITY Perpetual Help’s Keshia de Luna and April Ann Sartin tamed  College of Saint Benilde’s Giza Yumang and LC Quemada, 21-18, 21-17, Sunday to reign supreme in the women’s division of the NCAA beach volleyball competition at the Cantada Sports Center in Taguig City.

De Luna and Sartin leaned on its superb net defense and court coverage to neutralize the power-hitting pair of Yumang and Quemada and clinch the Lady Altas’ first-ever title in the event organized by a league committee chaired by Paul Supan of Jose Rizal University.

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