V-League: Ateneo stays perfect; Lyceum triumphs

Ateneo de Manila completed a four-game sweep in Group A of the elimination round of the Shakey’s V-League Season 8 on Sunday at The Arena in San Juan. The Lady Eagles added former league champion San Sebastian College to their growing list of victims, 25-13, 25-11,24-26, 25-22. Thai reinforcement Lithawat Kesinee scored 23 points, while local guest player Alyssa Valdez contributed 15 hits, six service aces and a block as they led the Lady Eagles in dealing the Lady Stags their third straight setback. “Every game, we were able to lessen our lapses both in service and our floor defense. This was really our target, to win all our games in the eliminations," said Ateneo coach Charo Soriano after clinching her fourth straight victory as a rookie coach. The loss put San Sebastian in a must-win situation against the Far Eastern University Lady Tamaraws, who also absorbed their third straight setback earlier at the hands of Lyceum Lady Pirates, 25-17, 25-20, 25-22. Lyceum joined early quarterfinalists Ateneo and Cebu’s Southwestern University. Joy Cases and guest player Dahlia Cruz combined for 25 attacks and 29 hits while Marie Casanova took charge of the team’s net defense with seven blocks on top of 10 points for the Lady Pirates, who closed out their elimination round campaign with 2-2 card. The victory put them into the last eight while further diminishing the Lady Tamaraws’ chances for the playoffs. Rachel Anne Daquis had 10 kills and wound up with 13 points while May Morada finished with 10 hits for FEU. - RCJ, GMA News