V-League: Tigresses face Lady Stags in sudden-death Game 3

It's a winner-take-all Game 3 between the University of Santo Tomas Tigresses and the San Sebastian College Lady Stags on Tuesday in the continuation of their best-of-three series of the Shakey's V-League at The Arena in San Juan. The Lady Stags, runners-up in the last two conferences, won the opener of the series on Friday, scoring 25-16, 25-19, 17-25, 23-25, 15-13. But the Tigresses, winners of the first conference, fought back with an emphatic 25-16, 25-15, 25-21 triumph Sunday to send the series to a winner-take-all match, the league said Monday in a press statement. "I don't believe in momentum. Anything can happen in a Game 3," UST coach August Santamaria said. The Tigresses are seeing action in a sudden-death match for the first time after a couple of title sweeps, including a 2-0 win over the Lady Stags last July. Guest player Suzanne Roces and veteran Mary Jean Balse made things happen for the Tigresses the last time out, combining for 28 points while limiting the Stags' Thai import Bualee Jaroensri to 17 points. The UST duo also came through with four blocks each to underscore the Tigresses' superb net defense. Roces and Balse also finished with five service points between themselves. But expect the Lady Stags to rebound from that setback with Lady Stags coach Roger Gorayeb stressing the need to firm up their defense upfront and come up with good reception. "We have to play tougher net defense if we want to win," Gorayeb said. Jaroensri, the league's second scoring leader, must also step up and play true to form after she was held below her 22-point average. Laurence Ann Latigay, who delivered the game winners in the series opener, is also expected to make up for her paltry 11-point output in Game 2. - GMANews.TV