THE Lady Archers are in the hunt for a finals berth following that squeaker over the San Sebastian Lady Stags. --NONOY LACZA

DE LA SALLE pounced on two costly errors by San Sebastian College (SSC) to eke out a thrilling 25-17, 20-25, 25-21, 24-26, 15-13 victory and stay in the hunt for at least the second finals berth in the Shakey’s V-League women’s volleyball tournament at The Arena in San Juan yesterday.

The Lady Archers, who failed to wrap up the match in four, went ahead, 13-12, in the fifth then took a two-shot lead when SSC guest player Ma. Therera Iratay committed a lifting violation.

But after San Sebastian closed to within one again, 13-14, SSC’s Joy Pulido served long, yielding the set and the match to the Taft-based spikers, who improved to 5-4.

It was actually De La Salle’s second straight win in the semifinals, counting its 3-0 rout of Lyceum on Sunday, moving the Lady Archers to within a win from gaining a playoff for the second finals berth via the three-of-four incentive rule.

Despite the loss, its second against seven wins, San Sebastian remained on top heading into the last three semifinals playdates of the event sponsored by Shakey’s Pizza and organized by Sports Vision.

Thai guest player Sanorseang Areerat and Michelle Datuin combined for 39 attacks to negate Jaroensri Bualee’s stirring 33-kill effort for San Sebastian in the game that took two hours and four minutes to finish.

The Recoletos-based spikers actually fought it evenly with the defending three-time champions but just couldn’t sustain their fightback with those two miscues at endgame.

Laurence Ann Latigay, one of the most dependable players on the SSC side, also came away with 19 attacks in the tournament backed backed by Mikasa, Accel, Jaemark’s Restaurant and Smart Communications.

Games are telecast over NBN-4 across the week from 2-4 p.m. and replayed over Viva Prime from 8:30 a.m.-10:30 a.m. Mondays thru Saturday. 

Five-set thriller

DE LA SALLE pounced on two costly errors by San Sebastian College (SSC) to eke out a thrilling 25-17, 20-25, 25-21, 24-26, 15-13 victory and stay in the hunt for at least the second finals berth in the Shakey’s V-League women’s volleyball tournament at The Arena in San Juan yesterday.

Haul of 91 in 2007 for RP

FILIPINO athletes should win at least 91 gold medals in the coming 24th Southeast Asian Games (SEAG), based on the number of events they ruled in the biennial sportsfest two years ago that were carried over to the next edition Thailand will host this December.

HARBOUR CENTRE wants to lend a hand to other sports besides basketball as its own way of uplifting the state of Philippine sports.

AFTER waiting two weeks for their opponents, Red Bull and Alaska return to battle with fresh legs and possibly a well-laid plan in Game One of the 2007 Talk ’N Text-Philippine Basketball Association Fiesta Conference semifinal series.

GOLF programs, tournaments, among others, have become a rarity on local cable such as ESPN, Star Sports and Solar Sports that Filipino fans could hardly find a way to whet their appetite.

ONE-TIME world minimumweight title challenger Rodel Mayol is asking the Games and Amusement Board (GAB) for a speedy resolution of the case he filed against estranged Japanese manager Yasuo Matsuoka.

Barcelona manager Frank Rijkaard pumped his fist. His winger, Argentine international Lionel Messi, scored his second goal of the game, a tap from a rebound off a Samuel Eto’o blast that Gimnastic de Tarragona keeper Chueca Ruben Perez couldn’t hold on to. After 51 minutes of action, Barcelona was up 4-0.